DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

Most Fertilizers Lower; Anhydrous Drops Below $400

Russ Quinn
By  Russ Quinn , DTN Staff Reporter
Connect with Russ:
Retail anhydrous prices tracked by DTN are at the lowest levels since the second week of Aug. 2010. (DTN graphic by Nick Scalise)

OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices continued to fall during the fourth week of September 2017, with two exceptions, according to sellers tracked by DTN. For the second straight week, two fertilizers are showing higher prices compared to a month ago.

Six of the eight major fertilizers were lower, compared to last month. Anhydrous is 5% lower than last month with an average price of $396/ton.

The sub $400/ton price for anhydrous is a historically lower range for the DTN retail price data set, which began in November 2008. The last time prices were under $400/ton was the second week of August 2010 -- seven years ago.

The remaining five fertilizers posted lower prices, but their moves were fairly insignificant. DAP had an average price of $432/ton, MAP $453/ton, 10-34-0 $413/ton, UAN8 $208/ton, and UAN32 $243/ton.

Two fertilizers posted higher prices than the previous month. Urea is 6% higher compared to the previous month, with an average price of $321/ton. Potash was just slightly higher and had an average price of $348/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.35/lb.N, anhydrous $0.24/lb.N, UAN28 $0.37/lb.N and UAN32 $0.38/lb.N.

Harvest has begun in west-central Ohio, according to Mitch Bambauer of Bambauer Fertilizer and Seed, Inc., in New Knoxville, Ohio. Yields appear to be variable with some of the better-drained soils average to above average, while some of the poorer soils are slightly below average.

P[L1] D[0x0] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]

Fall fertilizer application season has begun and good field conditions could help them cover more acres this fall, he said.

"Fertilizer is going on as normal here," Bambauer told DTN. "Over half of our phosphorus (p) and potash (k) will go on in the fall while there is no fall nitrogen (application) in the fall in Ohio."

Bambauer expects the fall fertilizer season to be fairly normal in terms of fertilizer demand from his customers, despite lower commodity prices. Short of inclement weather hampering application, the season should be similar to past fall application seasons, he said.

All fertilizers but one have lower retail prices compared to a year earlier. Three of the eight major fertilizer prices are double-digits lower.

Anhydrous is now 19% lower from a year ago, while 10-34-0 is 11% cheaper and UAN32 is 10% lower. UAN28 is 7% less expensive, DAP is down 2%, and both MAP and urea are 1% lower. The one fertilizer priced higher compared to last year is potash, up 10%.

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
Sept 26-30 2016 440 458 317 322
Oct 24-28 2016 436 451 313 317
Nov 21-25 2016 436 445 316 328
Dec 19-23 2016 432 437 321 336
Jan 16-20 2017 430 443 324 346
Feb 13-17 2017 432 450 332 357
Mar 13-17 2017 443 462 337 360
Apr 10-13 2017 437 466 338 353
May 8-12 2017 437 466 340 351
Jun 5-9 2017 438 469 339 338
Jul 3-7 2017 436 467 339 325
Jul 31-Aug 4 2017 434 463 339 311
Aug 28-Sept 1 2017 433 457 338 303
Sep 15-29 2017 432 453 348 321
Liquid
Date Range 10-34-0 ANHYD UAN28 UAN32
Sept 26-30 2016 465 486 223 271
Oct 24-28 2016 452 472 224 262
Nov 21-25 2016 445 465 218 256
Dec 19-23 2016 442 468 217 255
Jan 16-20 2017 437 478 235 267
Feb 13-17 2017 440 491 240 276
Mar 13-17 2017 441 507 247 280
Apr 10-13 2017 441 505 247 280
May 8-12 2017 437 508 247 280
Jun 5-9 2017 435 503 246 278
Jul 3-7 2017 432 462 236 268
Jul 31-Aug 4 2017 426 418 227 262
Aug 28-Sept 1 2017 418 417 215 248
Sep 15-29 2017 413 396 208 243

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

Follow Russ Quinn on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

(ES/CZ)

P[] D[728x170] M[320x75] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[L2] D[728x90] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[R1] D[300x250] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[R2] D[300x250] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
DIM[1x3] LBL[article-box] SEL[] IDX[] TMPL[standalone] T[]
P[R3] D[300x250] M[0x0] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]

Russ Quinn