Who buys urea in New Zealand?

Two farmer co-operatives, Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Ravensdown, buy almost all imported urea and sell it to their shareholders from port and regional stores. A supplier is therefore selling to one of two buyers, each with its own shipping programme.

Why are cargoes split between ports?

Demand is spread over both islands and no single store takes a full Handysize cargo, so a ship typically discharges at two or three ports. The rotation, the draft at each port and the discharge rate are written into the offer because they change the freight.

Which origins can replace Saudi urea?

Malaysia and Brunei are the nearest and were the first bought after transit collapsed. China supplied 25% in 2025 when its export quota was open. Oman loads outside the strait. Each offer names the producer and the load port.

Oceania · New Zealand

Urea Suppliers CFR New Zealand

Two farmer co-operatives, multi-port discharge and a pastoral market that took 55% of its urea from Saudi Arabia

New Zealand declared 496,000 t of urea imports in 2025 at a landed value of USD 234 million, about USD 473 per tonne, and about 480,000 t in 2024. Saudi Arabia supplied 55% in 2025, China 25% and Malaysia 18%; in 2024 the same Saudi tonnage was backed by Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei. The Strait of Hormuz has been severely restricted since 28 February 2026: loadings inside the Gulf move irregularly and are confirmed cargo by cargo. Two farmer-owned co-operatives, Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Ravensdown, buy almost all of it for dairy and sheep-and-beef pasture. The country's one urea plant, at Kapuni in Taranaki, has a capacity of 260,000 t a year, about a third of national supply; its long-term gas contract expired on 30 September 2025 and it has run on short-term gas contracts since, so imports carry more of the load than the plant's nameplate suggests. After transit collapsed Ravensdown bought Brunei urea and Ballance spread its purchases over several regions with longer lead times. Co-operative list prices passed NZD 1,000 per tonne in April 2026 and were cut to NZD 1,289 and NZD 1,280 at the end of August as Chinese exports resumed.

Urea for New Zealand ships in Handysize parcels and is usually split across two or three discharge ports in both islands, into the co-operatives' port stores, from which it is blended and spread; Mount Maunganui is a storage, blending and distribution hub. Ships and cargo must arrive free of soil, seeds and other biosecurity contaminants, and a hold that fails inspection delays the discharge. CBIL brokers granular urea (46% N min, biuret 1% max, moisture 0.5% max, 2-4 mm 90% min) CFR New Zealand from Southeast Asia, Oman and the Mediterranean, with SGS or Intertek certification at load, a hold-cleanliness certificate and the producer named on the certificate of origin. A buyer that states its tonnage, laycan, discharge ports and rotation gets a firm answer; one without them gets a question first.

Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices Handysize bulk freight on LaycanDesk.

The market in figures

Declared imports: 2025: 496,000 t, USD 234 million, USD 473/t · 2024: about 480,000 t
Origins, 2025: Saudi Arabia 55% · China 25% · Malaysia 18%
Domestic production: Kapuni, 260,000 t/yr, on short-term gas contracts since September 2025
2026 market: Co-operative list prices NZD 1,280-1,289/t from end August 2026, after passing NZD 1,000/t in April
Buyers: Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Ravensdown (farmer co-operatives)
Parcel and discharge: Handysize, two- or three-port discharge into co-operative port stores

Landed values are the importing country's declared CIF, not CBIL prices.

Questions buyers ask

Who buys urea in New Zealand?: Two farmer co-operatives, Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Ravensdown, buy almost all imported urea and sell it to their shareholders from port and regional stores. A supplier is therefore selling to one of two buyers, each with its own shipping programme.
How much urea does New Zealand make itself?: The Kapuni plant in Taranaki can make 260,000 t a year, about a third of national supply. Its long-term gas contract expired on 30 September 2025 and it has run on short-term contracts since, so the import requirement moves with each gas renewal.
Why are cargoes split between ports?: Demand is spread over both islands and no single store takes a full Handysize cargo, so a ship typically discharges at two or three ports. The rotation, the draft at each port and the discharge rate are written into the offer because they change the freight.
Which origins can replace Saudi urea?: Malaysia and Brunei are the nearest and were the first bought after transit collapsed. China supplied 25% in 2025 when its export quota was open. Oman loads outside the strait. Each offer names the producer and the load port.