QatarEnergy has raised its February sulfur free-on-board (FOB) price from Qatar to $520 per ton, up by $3 from the January price of $517 per ton, signaling continued tightness in the global sulfur market.
According to freight assessment data from January 29, the shipping cost for cargoes in the 30,000–35,000-ton range from Qatar to South China stands at approximately $22–24 per ton, while freight to China’s inland river ports is around $26–27 per ton. Based on current freight rates, QatarEnergy’s latest pricing implies a delivered cost of $542–547 per ton for sulfur arriving in China.
As an industry giant with vast natural gas reserves and well-developed refining infrastructure, QatarEnergy’s pricing plays a key directional role in setting global sulfur benchmarks. Sulfur is a core raw material in phosphate fertilizer production, and its price volatility directly impacts cost pressures across the phosphate fertilizer supply chain.
The persistent price adjustments by major suppliers reflect ongoing supply constraints and strong demand from downstream sectors, particularly fertilizer producers. Market analysts note that with global energy transitions and environmental policies affecting sulfur recovery rates, coupled with steady demand from agriculture and industrial applications, sulfur availability is likely to remain under pressure in the near term.
Industry participants are closely monitoring movements from other key sulfur exporters, including those in Central Asia and the Middle East, for further signals on price trends and supply availability in the first half of the year.
