# Ammonium sulphate: Overview Nitrogen plus sulphur for oilseeds, rice and sugarcane Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/overview/ What this tab covers What the chemical is, how big its market is, what it is used for (with shares, volumes, why it wins and what could replace it), and its chain from raw material to end user. Ends with three things to remember. Ammonium sulphate ((NH4)2SO4, 21% N and 24% S) is the salt of ammonia and sulphuric acid. Most of it is a by-product: of caprolactam (the nylon 6 monomer), of coke ovens and of flue-gas scrubbing. Only a minority is made on purpose. World output was about 33 Mt in 2024 (Statista), and China exported over 21 Mt in 2025 (Argus). It supplies sulphur as well as nitrogen, and demand is rising as soils run short of sulphur. Because supply follows nylon and steel output rather than fertiliser prices, it is usually the cheapest nitrogen per tonne. Volume about 32.9 Mt (2024); China alone exported about 21.4 Mt in 2025, so the world total may be understated Market value about $7.6 billion (2025) Growth about 5% a year in value to 2035 (GMI forecast); 3.2% a year to 2031 (HNY Research, on a $11.0 billion 2025 base) Statista (2024 production); Global Market Insights (2025); HNY Research via DRI (2026); Argus (2026) #### Key uses | Use | Share | Annual volume | Why this commodity | Alternatives | |---|---|---|---|---| | **Fertiliser: straight application and blending (sulphur-hungry crops: oilseeds, sugarcane, rice, soybeans)** | 72% | about 24 Mtbasis | AS delivers nitrogen and sulphur in one cheap granule. Clean-air rules removed the sulphur that used to fall on fields from coal smoke, so crops now need it added. It acidifies soil, which helps alkaline soils, and loses little nitrogen to air. Brazil's soy and sugarcane growers are the largest buyers. Global Market Insights (2025); CRU BCInsight (Mar 2026 teaser) | Urea plus elemental sulphur or gypsum Ammonium phosphate sulphate (APS) Sulphur-coated urea | | **Food and feed additives** | 12% | about 4 Mtbasis | Food-grade AS is a dough conditioner and yeast nutrient in baking, and a nitrogen source in fermentation and feed. Global Market Insights (2025) | Other ammonium salts Urea in fermentation | | **Water treatment (chloramination)** | 4% | about 1.3 Mtbasis | Added with chlorine to make chloramine, a longer-lasting drinking-water disinfectant. Global Market Insights (2025) | Aqueous ammonia | | **Industrial, pharma and textile uses (protein purification, flame retardants, dyeing)** | 12% | about 4 Mtbasis | AS precipitates proteins in biotech, is used in fire retardants, and is a dyeing auxiliary in textiles. Global Market Insights (2025) | Sodium sulphate Ammonium chloride | Shares are GMI's 2025 revenue shares applied to Statista's 2024 tonnage, so volumes are indicative; fertiliser's tonnage share is probably higher than its revenue share because food and pharma grades sell at premiums. #### From raw material to user 1. **Caprolactam plants** Making caprolactam for nylon 6 yields roughly 1.5-4.5 t of AS per t, depending on process (indicative); caprolactam by-product was 42% of supply in 2025 (GMI). 2. **Coke ovens and gas scrubbing** Ammonia in coke-oven gas and in ammonia-based flue-gas desulphurisation is captured with sulphuric acid; coke-oven AS is about a fifth of supply (GMI, indicative). 3. **Synthetic neutralisation** Ammonia and sulphuric acid react directly (0.26 t NH3 and 0.74 t H2SO4 per t, stoichiometry); 15% of supply (GMI 2025). 4. **Crystallisation and granulation** Crystals are standard grade (fine) or granulated/compacted (2-4 mm) to blend with NPK; caprolactam-grade crystal is a quoted benchmark. 5. **Export** China exported just over 21 Mt in 2025 (Argus); the EU imported a record 1.53 Mt in 2025, 1.45 Mt from China (S&P Global). #### Made from (commodity table) [S Sulfur](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sulfur/)[Gas Natural gas](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/natural_gas/) #### Three things to know - Most AS is a by-product: caprolactam alone gave 42% of supply in 2025 (GMI), so output follows nylon, not fertiliser demand. - China exported about 21.4 Mt of AS in 2025 (GMI; Argus), a large share of world trade. - AS sold at $277/t FOB NW Europe in February 2026 (Platts), cheap per tonne but about $1,320/t N. #### Read the tabs [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/routes/)[Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/production/)[Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/feedstocks/)[Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/cycles/)[Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/trading/)[Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/movement/)[Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/regulation/)[Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/characteristics/)[Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/emissions/) ## Other sections - [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/index.md) - [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/correlation/index.md) - [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/routes/index.md) - [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/production/index.md) - [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/feedstocks/index.md) - [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/cycles/index.md) - [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/trading/index.md) - [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/movement/index.md) - [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/regulation/index.md) - [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/characteristics/index.md) - [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/emissions/index.md) - [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonium_sulphate/links/index.md)