DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends
Prices of All But One Fertilizer Still Higher
OMAHA (DTN) -- Prices of the majority of retail fertilizers are higher again for the fourth week of March 2017 compared to a month earlier, though none were up significantly, according to fertilizer retailers surveyed by DTN.
This was the second week in a row that not all fertilizer prices were higher.
DAP had an average price of $438 per ton, MAP $465/ton, potash $338/ton, anhydrous $508/ton, UAN28 $248/ton and UAN32 $279/ton.
The one fertilizer that was lower in price compared to the previous month was urea. The nitrogen fertilizer was just slightly lower in price compared to a month ago. Urea's average price was $356 per ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.39/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.44/lb.N and UAN32 $0.44/lb.N.
Despite the recent rainy weather, most of the fertilizer for the upcoming 2017 growing season appears to have been applied already in many locations across the Corn Belt.
Brent Hall, agronomy manager for South Central Cooperative located in Lacona, Iowa, said roughly 80% of their anhydrous acres and 75% of their dry fertilizer acres have already been applied.
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"We are still sitting pretty good right before planting here," Hall told DTN. "It helped it was so open and we could go in February there."
Hall said that after the last few months of slightly increasing fertilizer prices, he expects retail prices should be fairly flat in the Midwest the rest of this spring as fieldwork moves its way north. Demand for fertilizer should lessen to a certain extent with more Southern areas having most of their fertilizer already applied, he said.
With anhydrous the main source of nitrogen for his farmer customers in south-central Iowa, Hall said he isn't too concerned about getting the last acres covered with fertilizer before corn planting begins in the region despite rains over the last couple of weeks. Normally, planting starts about April 10, but it may be delayed if the rain continues.
"We shouldn't have any problems getting the last bit applied," he said. "If it continues to rain, they wouldn't be planting corn anytime soon anyway."
Retail fertilizers are lower compared to a year earlier. Three of the eight major fertilizers are still double-digits lower.
10-34-0 is 21% lower from a year ago, anhydrous is 12% less expensive and UAN32 is 11% lower. Potash is 9% lower while DAP, urea and UAN28 are all 8% less expensive and MAP is 7% lower to year earlier.
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 |
Mar 28-Apr 1 2016 | 478 | 501 | 370 | 386 |
Apr 25-29 2016 | 476 | 502 | 366 | 386 |
May 23-27 2016 | 476 | 501 | 365 | 381 |
June 20-24 2016 | 470 | 495 | 358 | 366 |
July 18-22 2016 | 464 | 493 | 357 | 357 |
Aug 15-19 2016 | 452 | 471 | 333 | 337 |
Sept 12-16 2016 | 444 | 458 | 320 | 324 |
Oct 10-14 2016 | 438 | 452 | 313 | 316 |
Nov 7-11 2016 | 429 | 449 | 314 | 323 |
Dec 5-9 2016 | 434 | 443 | 318 | 333 |
Jan 2-6 2017 | 431 | 442 | 322 | 339 |
Jan 30-Feb 3 2017 | 430 | 448 | 329 | 353 |
Feb 27-Mar 03 2017 | 436 | 458 | 335 | 361 |
Mar 27-31 2017 | 438 | 465 | 338 | 356 |
LIQUID | ||||
Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
Mar 28-Apr 1 2016 | 561 | 580 | 268 | 315 |
Apr 25-29 2016 | 560 | 587 | 274 | 321 |
May 23-27 2016 | 560 | 587 | 274 | 321 |
June 20-24 2016 | 554 | 567 | 265 | 305 |
July 18-22 2016 | 546 | 546 | 260 | 304 |
Aug 15-19 2016 | 513 | 516 | 238 | 285 |
Sept 12-16 2016 | 474 | 496 | 233 | 272 |
Oct 10-14 2016 | 454 | 475 | 224 | 264 |
Nov 7-11 2016 | 447 | 468 | 217 | 256 |
Dec 5-9 2016 | 445 | 463 | 219 | 257 |
Jan 2-6 2017 | 436 | 465 | 218 | 255 |
Jan 30-Feb 3 2017 | 439 | 482 | 236 | 270 |
Feb 27-Mar 03 2017 | 440 | 502 | 246 | 279 |
Mar 27-31 2017 | 441 | 508 | 248 | 279 |
Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN
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