Mosaic Posts Loss on Potash Dip.

Mosaic posted a net loss of $71.6 million for fiscal third quarter, ended February 28, compared to net earnings of $38.8 million for the year-ago quarter. Mosaic attributes the loss to tight margins in the phosphate business due to high sulfur and ammonia prices, as well as "historically low" potash sales. The results include non-cash charges including unrealized mark-to-market losses on derivative contracts of $60.8 million, and foreign currency losses totaling $13.8 million, compared to a currency gain of $30.8 million in the year-ago period. Sales decreased 6%, to $1.1 billion, mainly due to lower potash volumes. The phosphate business reported operating loss of …