DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- Fertilizer prices pushed sharply higher into the end of 2020. All eight of the major fertilizers tracked by DTN had higher prices compared to last month, with half of those increasing 5% or more, a level DTN considers significant.

Anhydrous was up 10% compared to last month. The average price was $470/ton, up $43/ton.

Both MAP and potash were up 8% compared to the prior month. MAP had an average price of $537/ton, up $38/ton, and potash was at $366/ton, up $26/ton.

DAP was 5% more expensive compared to last month. The phosphorous fertilizer had an average price of $475/ton, up $20/ton.

The remaining four fertilizers were just slightly higher in price compared to the prior month. Urea had an average price of $367/ton, up $8; 10-34-0 $464/ton, up $5; UAN28 $209/ton and UAN32 $250/ton, both up $1 from last month.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/lb.N, anhydrous $0.29/lb.N, UAN28 $0.37/lb.N and UAN32 $0.39/lb.N.

Many farmers will buy inputs for year-end tax planning purposes. Among the items they will buy is fertilizer for the next growing season.

Tim Malterer is a farmer/agronomist from Janesville, Minnesota. He locked in nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potash (K) prior to last fall. His area of south-central Minnesota saw good crops this past fall so he put more fertilizer on this fall to take care of the extra crop.

"I am locking in my side dress fertilizer here now but the rest of it is on," Malterer told DTN.

Retail fertilizer prices continue to be mostly lower in price from a year ago, but there are a few exceptions. Urea is 1% more expensive, DAP is 8% higher while MAP is 21% more expensive compared to last year.

10-34-0 is 1% less expensive, potash is 3% lower, anhydrous is 4% less expensive, UAN32 is 9% lower and UAN28 is 12% less expensive from last year at this time.

DTN collects roughly 1,700 retail fertilizer bids from 310 retailer locations weekly. Not all fertilizer prices change each week. Prices are subject to change at any time.

DTN Pro Grains subscribers can find current retail fertilizer price in the DTN Fertilizer Index on the Fertilizer page under Farm Business.

Retail fertilizer charts dating back to 2010 are available in the DTN fertilizer segment. The charts included cost of N/lb., DAP, MAP, potash, urea, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32.

Date Range	DAP	MAP	POTASH	UREA
Dec 23-27 2019	443	454	377	378
Jan 20-24 2020	413	435	374	357
Feb 17-21 2020	410	435	373	361
Mar 16-20 2020	408	433	370	382
Apr 13-17 2020	410	433	370	384
May 11-15 2020	413	433	370	388
Jun 8-12 2020	406	430	363	367
Jul 6-10 2020	405	427	360	360
Aug 3-7 2020	416	430	357	354
Aug 31-Sep 4 2020	431	442	348	361
Sep 28-Oct 2 2020	439	459	338	362
Oct 26-30 2020	448	477	332	358
Nov 23-27 2020	456	495	337	359
Dec 21-25 2020	474	535	365	363
Liquid
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
Dec 23-27 2019	469	488	240	276
Jan 20-24 2020	470	487	237	275
Feb 17-21 2020	464	490	235	277
Mar 16-20 2020	466	491	235	278
Apr 13-17 2020	468	492	236	279
May 11-15 2020	468	492	237	280
Jun 8-12 2020	468	472	235	276
Jul 6-10 2020	467	461	233	272
Aug 3-7 2020	465	455	222	262
Aug 31-Sep 4 2020	459	436	216	254
Sep 28-Oct 2 2020	457	424	212	250
Oct 26-30 2020	456	423	209	249
Nov 23-27 2020	457	424	210	249
Dec 21-25 2020	463	461	210	250

Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

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