DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

UAN Fertilizers Gain 5% as Retail Prices Keep Inching Higher

Russ Quinn
By  Russ Quinn , DTN Staff Reporter
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At $392 per ton, the average retail price of UAN32 is 5% higher than last month. While it's 42% more expensive than a year ago, its price really started to climb in mid-January. (DTN chart)

OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices continued to push higher the first week of May 2021, according to sellers surveyed by DTN.

Like last week, all eight of the major fertilizers were higher compared to a month earlier. Unlike recent weeks, a couple fertilizers were significantly higher, which DTN designates as 5% or more.

Both UAN28 and UAN32 were 5% more expensive compared to last month. UAN28 has an average price of $358 per ton and UAN32 $398/ton.

The average retail price of DAP and anhydrous increased 3%, to $634/ton and $712/ton, respectively.

Two fertilizers' prices increased 2%. Urea had an average price of $514/ton while 10-34-0 was $618/ton.

The remaining two fertilizers, MAP and potash, each had 1% price increases. MAP cost an average of $705/ton, while potash was $436/ton.

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On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.56/lb.N, anhydrous $0.43/lb.N, UAN28 $0.64/lb.N and UAN32 $0.62/lb.N.

Since this most recent price increase in retail fertilizer appears to be subsiding a bit, I thought we would compare prices in a couple shorter time frames to see how much was added to the price of retail fertilizer. I selected three months ago and six months ago.

Three months back was the first week of February, and prices were well on their move to the high side.

Comparing prices last week to three months earlier, prices increased anywhere from $47/ton (potash) to $205/ton (anhydrous). A few fertilizers (potash, DAP, urea) were just double digits higher, while most (MAP, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28, UAN32) were over $100/ton more expensive.

As you might expect when you look back to six months ago (first week of November 2020), there are some rather large price increases during this time.

The range this time includes both potash and anhydrous, but the price increases are considerably more, with potash $105/ton higher on the low end and anhydrous $289/ton more expensive on the high end. All eight major fertilizers were up triple digits from November, and two were up more than $200/ton (anhydrous $289/ton and MAP $226/ton).

MAP really increased in price from November 2020 to February 2021, adding $122/ton to the price during that three-month period. No other price moved that much during this time.

With retail fertilizer prices moving higher over recent months, all fertilizers are now higher in price from a year ago.

Potash is now 18% more expensive, 10-34-0 is 32% higher, urea is 33% more expensive, UAN32 42% higher, anhydrous is 45% more expensive, UAN28 is 51% higher, DAP is 53% more expensive and MAP 63% is higher compared to last year.

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.

DRY
Date Range DAP MAP POTASH UREA
May 4-8 2020 413 433 370 388
Jun 1-5 2020 407 431 364 373
Jun 29-Jul 3 2020 406 427 361 357
Jul 27-31 2020 410 429 358 355
Aug 24-28 2020 430 435 352 355
Sep 21-25 2020 434 453 338 361
Oct 19-23 2020 446 476 332 359
Nov 16-20 2020 455 488 336 358
Dec 14-18 2020 466 522 360 361
Jan 11-15 2021 486 551 373 373
Feb 8-12 2021 588 642 398 453
Mar 8-12 2021 615 690 423 483
Apr 5-9 2021 618 699 431 504
May 3-7 2021 634 705 436 514
Liquid
Date Range 10-34-0 ANHYD UAN28 UAN32
May 4-8 2020 468 492 237 280
Jun 1-5 2020 468 475 236 276
Jun 29-Jul 3 2020 468 461 233 272
Jul 27-31 2020 465 454 223 262
Aug 24-28 2020 464 442 219 258
Sep 21-25 2020 457 425 215 253
Oct 19-23 2020 456 424 209 249
Nov 16-20 2020 455 422 207 249
Dec 14-18 2020 463 450 210 253
Jan 11-15 2021 469 474 210 247
Feb 8-12 2021 512 524 243 285
Mar 8-12 2021 581 625 306 344
Apr 5-9 2021 605 692 341 378
May 3-7 2021 618 712 358 398

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

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Russ Quinn