Global Sulfur Trade Value (Based on UN Comtrade Data and Related Sources)
Sulfur (or Sulphur) is a vital commodity, primarily used in the production of sulfuric acid, which is essential for the fertilizer industry (phosphatic fertilizers) and various industrial applications. Global trade values for sulfur can fluctuate significantly based on supply dynamics (often recovered as a byproduct of oil and gas refining) and demand from the agriculture and chemical sectors.
Data compiled from sources tracking UN Comtrade statistics (typically HS Code 25.03 for Crude or unrefined sulfur) provides an overview of the global trade dynamics.
Key Trade Trends (2023 Overview)
Based on reported trade statistics for "Sulphur" (HS Code 25.03) in 2023:
Global Trade Value: The total global trade value for Sulphur was approximately $4.74 billion in 2023.
Volatile Market: This figure reflected a significant 55.1% decrease from the previous year (2022), highlighting the volatility in the commodity's price and market conditions.
Leading Exporters: Countries with significant oil and gas production often dominate the export market as sulfur is a byproduct of their operations.
Leading Importers: The top importers are typically nations with large fertilizer production capabilities and growing agricultural demand.
Sulfur Global Trade Value and Top Partners (2023)
The following table provides a snapshot of the major players in the Sulphur trade (HS 25.03) for 2023, based on available trade data reporting on UN Comtrade statistics:
| Rank | Top Exporters (Trade Value in USD) | Value (Millions) | Top Importers (Trade Value in USD) | Value (Millions) |
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | $826 M | China | $945 M |
| 2 | Qatar | $638 M | Morocco | $653 M |
| 3 | Canada | $388 M | Indonesia | $340 M |
| 4 | Russia | N/A | Brazil | N/A |
| 5 | Saudi Arabia | N/A | India | N/A |
Note: The total global trade value figures and the detailed country values may vary slightly depending on the specific source and the time of data extraction from UN Comtrade, as well as reporting methodologies (e.g., if 'Sulphur' includes various grades or only crude/unrefined).
Market Context and Drivers
The trade value of sulfur is influenced by several factors:
Fertilizer Demand: The single largest driver of sulfur demand is the global agriculture sector, as it is a key component in the production of phosphatic and sulfur-based fertilizers.
Oil & Gas Production: Most elemental sulfur is recovered from sour crude oil and natural gas purification processes. Therefore, changes in petroleum and natural gas output directly impact global sulfur supply.
Environmental Regulations: Stricter environmental rules, such as those limiting sulfur content in fuels (e.g., IMO 2020 for shipping), increase the supply of recovered sulfur, often influencing prices.
Geopolitical Factors: Trade restrictions, tariffs, and logistical disruptions can significantly impact market flow and price volatility, as seen in recent years.
Volatility and Core Demand in the Global Sulfur Trade
The analysis of UN Comtrade data for Sulfur (primarily HS 25.03) reveals a global commodity market defined by extreme volatility yet underpinned by indispensable industrial demand.
Key Takeaways
Significant Market Contraction in 2023: The sulfur trade experienced a sharp contraction in value in 2023, with global trade declining by over 50% from the previous year. This dramatic shift is primarily attributable to the normalization of commodity prices following the high volatility seen in 2022, though it reflects the highly volatile price cycles characteristic of the sulfur market.
Supply Inelasticity is Key: The supply of elemental sulfur is largely inelastic, as the majority is recovered as a byproduct of stringent environmental regulations in oil and gas refining (desulfurization processes). This means supply cannot easily be adjusted in response to price changes, making the market highly susceptible to disruptions in the energy sector or changes in environmental mandates.
Demand Driven by Agriculture: Demand remains robust and non-negotiable from the global fertilizer industry, where sulfur is a crucial input for sulfuric acid, which is then used to produce essential phosphate fertilizers. Importing giants like China and Morocco (a major phosphate producer) demonstrate this core agricultural dependence.
Regional Supply Shift: The trade landscape is seeing geopolitical shifts, with Middle Eastern producers like the UAE and Qatar solidifying their positions as top exporters, partially offsetting reduced availability from other traditional supply regions (like Kazakhstan/Turkmenistan).
In summary, the UN Comtrade figures underscore sulfur's role as a critical, high-volume commodity whose trade value is less influenced by its own intrinsic demand and more by the mandatory recovery processes of the global energy sector and the unwavering need for fertilizer in the agriculture industry.
Sulfur Trade Growth Value by Country: A Look at Shifting Market Dynamics
Global trade in Sulphur (primarily HS Code 25.03: Crude or unrefined sulfur) experienced a major recalibration in 2023. While the overall global trade value saw a sharp decline (estimated at over 50% year-on-year) due to falling commodity prices, specific countries exhibited distinct growth or contraction in their trade figures, reflecting changes in domestic production, refining capacity, and regional demand.
The growth or decline in trade value is a product of two factors: changes in price and changes in volume. In a year where prices universally dropped, a country's value growth often indicates a significant increase in the sheer volume of sulfur traded, or that the previous year's figures were unusually low.
Selected Trade Value Growth Dynamics (2023 over 2022)
The following table highlights notable shifts in the trade value for both exporters and importers of crude sulfur (HS 2503) for 2023, where available data demonstrates a significant year-over-year change, often due to high demand or new refining capacity coming online.
| Country | Trade Flow | 2023 Value (Millions USD) | Year-on-Year Change (Approx.) | Key Driver |
| Indonesia | Exports | $0.153 M | +226% | Low base effect; marginal rise in domestic production aimed at China. |
| India | Imports | $45 M (from select partners) | +10% to +16% (Volume) | Strong domestic demand for fertilizer production; new burner capacity. |
| Saudi Arabia | Imports to India (from SA) | $126 M (to India, Jan-Nov) | >100% (Volume to India) | Increased availability of crushed lump sulfur from new projects (e.g., Berri). |
| China | Imports to Congo, Dem. Rep. | $1,605 M | N/A | Massive, anomalous increase in reported import value in 2023, possibly due to a data anomaly or re-routing/re-classification of significant trade volume. |
| United Arab Emirates | Imports to India (from UAE) | $674 M (to India, Jan-Nov) | >100% (Volume to India) | Increased Middle Eastern production and regional export focus. |
Note: Growth rates based on trade value comparisons between 2022 and 2023, where detailed data is available. Very high percentage growth rates for smaller countries often reflect a 'low base effect' where a minor increase in volume translates to a large percentage change.
Analysis of Key Growth Trends
1. The Middle Eastern Export Surge (Volume)
Middle Eastern nations, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia, remain the central figures in global sulfur supply. Despite the sharp global price drop, their volumes—especially to key Asian markets like India—increased substantially. This is a direct consequence of continued investment in oil and gas refining and processing, which yields sulfur as an environmentally mandated byproduct. India's rising imports from these countries reflect its growing fertilizer demand and the ability of Middle Eastern suppliers to offer competitive pricing and flexible product types (e.g., crushed lump sulfur).
2. Import Demand Anchored in Asia
Countries like India are clearly driving volume growth in imports. India's increased purchasing volume (despite a lower value spend compared to 2022) is tied to:
Strong agricultural production requiring phosphatic fertilizers.
New domestic infrastructure, such as new sulfur burning capacity, which substitutes for imports of sulfuric acid with imports of elemental sulfur.
3. Data Anomalies and Reporting Caution
The reported import value for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2023, showing an unprecedented surge to over $1.6 billion, is highly likely to be a data anomaly or a substantial reclassification of trade flow within UN Comtrade statistics. Sulfur is not typically traded in this magnitude through the DRC, and such an outlier figure necessitates careful examination of the reporting mechanism. Excluding such anomalies, the overall picture centers on traditional large exporters and Asian importers.
High-Value Sulfur Derivatives: Trade Value by Country (2022/2023 Snapshot)
While the vast majority of globally traded sulfur is in the form of crude or unrefined elemental sulfur (HS 2503), the highest value per unit weight products are often the refined derivatives used in specialized industrial, chemical, and pharmaceutical applications.
These "high-value" sulfur products fall under various Harmonized System (HS) Codes, primarily within Chapter 28 (Inorganic Chemicals). For analysis, we focus on a key refined category: Sublimed or Precipitated Sulfur; Colloidal Sulfur (HS 2802), as well as the inorganic sulfur compound category Sulfur (HS 2802) (Note: HS 2802 is often used in trade databases to categorize various refined and specialized sulfur forms).
Trade Value of High-Value Sulfur Derivatives (HS 2802)
The table below presents the export and import trade values for Sublimed, Precipitated, and Colloidal Sulfur (HS 2802), which represents higher-purity, processed sulfur forms used in applications like pharmaceuticals, rubber vulcanization, and specialty chemicals. Data is based on 2022 figures, as full 2023 data for this specific sub-category is often lagged.
| Rank | Top Exporters (HS 2802) | Value (Millions USD, 2022) | Top Importers (HS 2802) | Value (Millions USD, 2022) |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | $385.7 M | China | $161.0 M |
| 2 | Canada | $155.6 M | Jordan | $61.1 M |
| 3 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | $60.5 M | Indonesia | $50.2 M |
| 4 | India | $25.1 M | Russian Federation | N/A |
| 5 | Singapore | $15.5 M | United States | N/A |
Source: Trade statistics reporting on UN Comtrade data for HS 2802 (Sublimed, Precipitated, Colloidal Sulfur) for 2022.
Analysis of Trade Dynamics
1. The Role of Refined Elemental Sulfur (HS 2802)
While the overall volume of refined sulfur is much smaller than crude sulfur (HS 2503), the price per unit is significantly higher, hence their categorization as "high value."
Dominant Exporters: Saudi Arabia and Canada lead the export of these refined forms. This is partly due to the vast scale of their elemental sulfur production, allowing them to divert portions of the raw material to sophisticated processing facilities for higher-margin products.
Key Importers: China is a dominant importer, using these high-purity forms in its massive chemical manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries. Indonesia and Jordan import these products for domestic industrial and agricultural use, where specific purity levels are required.
2. Other High-Value Sulfur Compounds
The highest value-added products derived from sulfur are not elemental forms, but rather complex inorganic and organic sulfur compounds used as active ingredients:
Sulfuric Acid (HS 2807.00): This is the most important chemical derivative of sulfur. Its global trade value is enormous (significantly larger than elemental sulfur) because it is a vital industrial chemical. Major exporters of sulfuric acid include countries with large-scale domestic fertilizer production (who often export excess acid).
Sulfur Dioxide and Trioxide (HS 2811.23 / 2811.29): These gases are key intermediates in chemical synthesis. Their trade value is moderate but highly specialized, often moving between chemical plants.
Sulfur-Containing Fungicides/Pesticides (HS 3808): Sulfur is used as a base for many plant protection products. These finished retail goods are generally the highest value-per-kilogram sulfur-related products traded, with global trade driven by major agrochemical companies in the US, Europe, and China.
Conclusion
The sulfur trade operates on two distinct levels: the massive, price-volatile trade of Crude Elemental Sulfur (HS 2503), and the specialized, higher-margin trade of Refined Derivatives (HS 2802) and chemical compounds (HS 28xx). While the Middle East and Canada dominate the former, the trade of high-value refined products and specialty chemicals is more globally distributed, reflecting advanced chemical processing capabilities across countries like China, India, and the United States.