DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices saw small changes the second week of June 2018, continuing muted price movements that have been a feature of the market this past month, according to prices tracked by DTN.

Five of the eight major fertilizers were slightly higher compared to last month, and when rounded to the nearest dollar, some appear unchanged. DAP had an average price of $484 per ton, potash $354/ton, 10-34-0 $440/ton, UAN28 $241/ton and UAN32 $277/ton.

Three fertilizers were lower than the previous month. As with the higher prices, the lower prices were just slightly lower. MAP had an average price of $505/ton, urea $364/ton and anhydrous $503/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.43/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.

While price changes are all but absent in the United States, major changes are happening to the industry in South America.

In recent years, fertilizer manufacturers from around the globe have invested in production facilities in Brazil, since a majority of the country's fertilizer is imported.

In January 2018, Florida-based The Mosaic Company completed an acquisition of Brazilian fertilizer company Vale Fertilizantes, the largest acquisition in the company's history. Canada-based Canpotex Ltd. opened a sales office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in April 2018 to serve the growing Brazilian market. Brazil is the largest market for Canpotex potash, according to the company's website.

Last week, Harvest Mineral Ltd. announced it's set to further develop its Arapua fertilizer project in Brazil and expand it sales in the country. The company plans on investing $12.1 million in the South American facility, according to Dow Jones.

The investment will be used to expand production capacity at the company's Arapua project and would increase Harvest Minerals' direct sales and marketing activities. The company also stated the additional investment would help identify new investment opportunities.

Harvest Mineral, with offices in Australia and the United Kingdom, is a potash and phosphate exploration and development company with four principal projects located in Brazil, according to the company's website. In addition to the Arapua fertilizer project, the company also has the Sergi potash project, the Capela potash project and the Mandacaru phosphate project.

Back in the states, six of the eight major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year with prices pushing higher in recent months. Both 10-34-0 and anhydrous are now up 1%, potash is 4% higher, MAP and urea are 7% more expensive and DAP is 11% more expensive compared to last year.

The remaining two fertilizers are lower in price compared to a year prior. UAN32 is 1% lower while UAN28 is 2% less expensive looking back a 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.

DTN's average of retail fertilizer prices from a month earlier ($ per ton):

DRY
Date Range	DAP	MAP	POTASH	UREA
Jun 12-16 2017	437	470	341	338
Jul 10-14 2017	436	467	340	321
Aug 7-11 2017	434	462	339	311
Sep 4-8 2017	431	458	338	302
Oct 2-6 2017	425	453	348	323
Oct 27-Nov 3 2017	434	455	348	330
Nov 27-Dec 1 2017	435	460	342	340
Dec 25-29 2017	448	488	344	348
Jan 22-26 2018	458	492	344	353
Feb 19-23 2018	460	496	345	357
Mar 19-23 2018	469	504	349	368
Apr 16-20 2018	484	502	353	368
May 14-18 2018	483	505	354	368
Jun 11-15 2018	484	505	354	364
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
Jun 12-16 2017	435	500	246	278
Jul 10-14 2017	431	451	235	268
Aug 7-11 2017	440	419	224	258
Sep 4-8 2017	418	413	215	248
Oct 2-6 2017	413	399	208	243
Oct 27-Nov 3 2017	405	401	208	262
Nov 27-Dec 1 2017	403	417	216	271
Dec 25-29 2017	407	468	216	254
Jan 22-26 2018	415	490	226	261
Feb 19-23 2018	416	495	231	265
Mar 19-23 2018	422	503	236	269
Apr 16-20 2018	431	508	240	275
May 14-18 2018	439	510	241	276
Jun 11-15 2018	440	503	241	277

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

(KD/AG)

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