DTN Fertilizer Outlook
Fertilizer Prices Hold Steady Second Week of June
OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices continued to hold fairly steady the second week of June 2017, according to fertilizer retailers surveyed by DTN. For several weeks in a row now, prices for all fertilizers have seen only minor moves in either direction.
Of the eight major fertilizers, prices for all but one were slightly lower compared to a month prior. Those were DAP with an average price of $437 price ton, MAP $470/ton, urea $338/ton, 10-34-0 $435, anhydrous $500/ton, UAN28 $246/ton and UAN32 $278/ton.
The remaining fertilizer, potash, was just slightly higher compared to the previous month. Potash had an average price of $341/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.37/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.44/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.
In the last several columns, we have taken a closer look at sidedressing nitrogen on corn, a practice occurring right now across the Corn Belt. Farmers have different thoughts on the increasingly popular practice to get nitrogen applied when young corn plants need the nutrients the most.
Concordia, Kansas, farmer Karl Jacobsen choses to sidedress his irrigated corn acres but not his dryland corn. He applies roughly half up front on his irrigated acres and then comes back and side dresses the other half with anhydrous on his north-central Kansas farm.
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Jacobsen applies 100 pounds of nitrogen up front and then comes back and side dresses his irrigated acres. On his dryland corn, he applies a certain amount of nitrogen up front and then plants the crop, he said.
"I have a yield goal and I fertilizer for that," Jacobsen said. "I tend to concentrate on my best-soil farms and the irrigated ones because I always get something on those acres."
In addition, he also utilizes a crop scout who gives him various crop-related recommendations. Jacobsen watches his own crops pretty closely, as well.
Retail fertilizers are lower compared to a year earlier. Two of the eight major fertilizers are still double-digits lower.
10-34-0 is 22% lower from a year ago while anhydrous is 12% less expensive. UAN32 is 9% lower and both UAN32 and urea are down 8%. DAP is 7% less expensive and both MAP and potash are both 5% lower.
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 |
June 13-17 2016 | 469 | 496 | 359 | 367 |
July 11-15 2016 | 467 | 496 | 358 | 360 |
Aug 8-12 2016 | 453 | 482 | 344 | 345 |
Sept 5-9 2016 | 446 | 464 | 325 | 325 |
Oct 3-7 2016 | 438 | 451 | 312 | 315 |
Oct 31-Nov 4 2016 | 436 | 451 | 314 | 319 |
Nov 28-Dec 2 2016 | 435 | 445 | 318 | 331 |
Dec 26-30 2016 | 431 | 443 | 321 | 336 |
Jan 23-27 2017 | 429 | 443 | 322 | 347 |
Feb 20-24 2017 | 433 | 452 | 332 | 359 |
Mar 20-24 2017 | 438 | 464 | 338 | 356 |
Apr 17-21 2017 | 438 | 466 | 339 | 352 |
May 15-19 2017 | 437 | 471 | 340 | 350 |
Jun 12-16 2017 | 437 | 470 | 341 | 338 |
LIQUID | ||||
Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
June 13-17 2016 | 555 | 566 | 266 | 305 |
July 11-15 2016 | 538 | 547 | 266 | 306 |
Aug 8-12 2016 | 528 | 522 | 249 | 299 |
Sept 5-9 2016 | 478 | 502 | 228 | 274 |
Oct 3-7 2016 | 454 | 472 | 224 | 263 |
Oct 31-Nov 4 2016 | 452 | 471 | 244 | 262 |
Nov 28-Dec 2 2016 | 447 | 465 | 217 | 256 |
Dec 26-30 2016 | 437 | 466 | 217 | 254 |
Jan 23-27 2017 | 436 | 480 | 235 | 268 |
Feb 20-24 2017 | 440 | 490 | 241 | 276 |
Mar 20-24 2017 | 441 | 507 | 248 | 280 |
Apr 17-21 2017 | 437 | 509 | 247 | 280 |
May 15-19 2017 | 436 | 510 | 248 | 283 |
Jun 12-16 2017 | 435 | 500 | 246 | 278 |
Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com
Follow Russ Quinn on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN
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