WHAT IS IT?
Urea (CO(NH₂)₂) is an organic compound containing 46% nitrogen — the highest nitrogen content of any solid fertilizer. Produced synthetically from ammonia and carbon dioxide under high pressure and temperature.
FORMS
Prilled Urea: Small spherical granules 1–2mm. Made by dropping liquid urea from a prilling tower. Slightly less crush-resistant. Common in agriculture.
Granular Urea: Larger granules 2–4mm, harder, better for mechanised spreading and deep placement. Premium over prilled.
KEY USES
Nitrogen fertilizer for crops (rice, wheat, corn, vegetables) — ~80% of use
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF / AdBlue) — aqueous urea solution used in truck SCR systems to reduce NOx emissions
Industrial feedstock: resins (urea-formaldehyde), melamine, animal feed supplement
WHY NITROGEN MATTERS
Nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient for crop growth. Urea breaks down in soil to ammonium, then nitrate — directly feeding plant roots. A 50kg bag of urea delivers 23kg of nitrogen to the field.
TRADE CORRIDORS
Major exporters: Russia, China, Middle East (Qatar, Saudi Arabia), Egypt, Indonesia
Major buyers: India, Brazil, USA, Australia, East Africa
Tetra relevance: East Africa corridor — Tanzania and Kenya are significant urea importers for food security programs
PRICING BASIS
Benchmark: FOB Black Sea (Russia), FOB Arab Gulf, CFR India. World Bank Pink Sheet publishes monthly reference price. Highly seasonal — prices spike before planting seasons.
SPECIFICATIONS
Nitrogen content: min 46.0%
Moisture: max 0.5%
Biuret: max 1.0% (toxic to plants at high levels)
Granule size distribution
Free-flowing, no caking
STORAGE
Hygroscopic — absorbs moisture aggressively. Must be stored in dry, covered warehouses. Caking is a major quality risk. Bulk storage max 6 months in good conditions.