UREA

Urea is a white crystalline material, made by condensing carbon dioxide and ammonia under heat and pressure. It is an excellent fertilizer because of its high nitrogen content (46.6 percent) but this use is limited by its relatively high cost. Urea is an important synthetic resin material, being a constituent of urea-formaldehyde resins, known commercially under the trade names Beetleware and Plaskon.

Production of urea in the United States was started in 1916, when the German supply was cut off. In 1920 the domestic output was estimated at more than 200,000 pounds of fertilizer grade. Production ceased in 1922. Urea in ammonia solution for use in the manufacture of mixed fertilizer was first produced in 1933.

Crystal urea production in the United States was begun in 1935 and was largely made possible by the larger volume of urea in ammonia solution manufactured for fertilizer use. Prior to that time our requirements of crystal urea were imported, principally from Germany. Consumers of resin grade urea report that the domestic product is as good or better than the imported from Europe. The domestic output of crystal urea in 1936 showed an appreciable increase over that in 1935.

Statistics of imports of urea are given in table [88], showing imports of all grades combined. Up to 1931, and again in 1936, the imports were probably all for fertilizer use. From 1931 through 1935 some portion of the imports went into the manufacture of resins, but even in this period most of the imports were probably used in fertilizer.

Table 88.—Urea: United States imports for consumption, 1919-20 and 1923-37

Year	Rate of duty	Quantity	Value	Unit value
		Pounds
1919	25 percent	14,290	$9,741	$0.682
1920	do	23,693	14,085	.594
1923	35 percent	45,711	5,892	.129
1924	do	94,307	12,891	.137
1925	do	146,438	15,886	.108
1926	do	377,729	30,346	.080
1927	do	813,120	51,799	.064
1928	do	1,788,927	101,900	.057
1929	do	4,588,313	228,401	.050
1930:
Jan. 1-June 17	do	2,459,140	120,263	.049
June 18-Dec. 31	Free	17,843,840	719,982	.040
1931	do	11,695,040	445,674	.038
1932	do	7,291,200	267,787	.037
1933	do	12,918,080	483,238	.037
1934	do	10,850,560	423,675	.039
1935	do	8,189,440	379,427	.046
1936	do	6,095,040	272,679	.045
1937¹	do	5,297,600	266,166	.050

¹ Preliminary.

Source: Foreign Commerce and Navigation of the United States.

Table [89] shows the sources of imports of urea in recent years. Germany has supplied from 90 to 100 percent of the total quantity, and Canada and the Netherlands the greater part of the remainder. There have been occasional shipments from Belgium, France, and Japan.

Table 89.—Urea: United States imports for consumption by countries, 1931 and 1933-37

Imported from—	1931	1933	1934	1935	1936	1937¹
	Quantity (pounds)
Germany	10,496,640	12,649,280	10,660,160	7,869,120	6,095,040	5,297,600
Netherlands	922,880	147,840	20,160
Canada	185,920	120,960	168,000	320,320
All other countries	89,600		2,240
Total	11,695,040	12,918,080	10,850,560	8,189,440	6,095,040	5,297,600
	Value
Germany	$401,976	$473,703	$415,777	$366,371	$272,679	$266,166
Netherlands	31,523	5,034	666
Canada	9,107	4,501	7,032	13,056
All other countries	3,068		200
Total	445,674	483,238	423,675	379,427	272,679	266,166
	Unit value
Germany	$0.038	$0.037	$0.039	$0.047	$0.045	$0.050
Netherlands	.034	.034	.033
Canada	.049	.037	.042	.041
All other countries	.034		.089
Average	.038	.037	.039	.046	.045	.050

¹ Preliminary.

Source: Foreign Commerce and Navigation of the United States.

Imports of urea enter the United States free of duty under paragraph 1793 of the Tariff Act of 1930. In spite of that fact a substantial production in the United States has been achieved. This is due, at least to a considerable extent, to the production of crude urea in ammonia solution, which is used in ammoniating superphosphates for fertilizer use. It is shipped by tank car but would be difficult to transport by ship. The volume market for this form of the product has aided in the production of crystal urea for both resin and fertilizer use.