DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices saw only minor changes from last month with four fertilizers posting slightly higher prices while one was lower and two were unchanged, according to retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the third week of June 2019.

Of the gainers, urea had an average price of $435 per ton, up $7; MAP $532/ton, up $5; and UAN32 $318/ton, up $4. Potash, at $392/ton, and UAN28, at $270/ton, were up less than a dollar.

Two fertilizers were slightly lower compared to last month. DAP had an average price of $496/ton, down $1, and anhydrous was $589/ton, down $6.

The average retail price for 10-34-0 was unchanged $487/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.47/lb.N, anhydrous $0.36/lb.N, UAN28 $0.48/lb.N and UAN32 $0.50/lb.N.

Fertilizer prices are pretty calm right now, said Brent Hall, agronomy manager for South Central Coop located in Lacona, Iowa. The only nutrient that saw a price increase in his area this spring was urea, he said.

"Urea was tight this spring at times with some transportation issues with the rivers flooding, but we didn't really see any large price spikes from that even," Hall told DTN.

Hall said the corn crop in south central Iowa has a wide range growth from the earliest planted to the latest planted due to the wet weather. The side-dressing season could be more spread out than in most years, with most in the area utilizing urea to feed nitrogen to the corn plants.

As for retail prices and what direction they could move in the coming months, Hall said nitrogen, phosphorus and potash prices could be slightly lower as the summer refill season begins for retailers. However, these price decreases could be fairly small, he said.

"We really don't know for sure, but once we start to see some (re-)fill prices, I think they are going to be coming in a little cheaper," he said.

All eight of the major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year with prices shifting higher. DAP is 3% higher, MAP is 4% more expensive, both potash and 10-34-0 are 11% higher, UAN28 is 12% more expensive; UAN32 is 13% higher, anhydrous is 17% more expensive and urea is 19% 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
Jun 18-22 2018	485	505	354	364
Jul 16-20 2018	486	505	354	366
Aug 13-17 2018	487	508	356	363
Sep 10-14 2018	491	518	362	380
Oct 8-12 2018	501	523	365	393
Nov 5-9 2018	506	529	368	407
Dec 3-7 2018	501	529	369	410
Dec 31-Jan 4 2019	508	533	381	407
Jan 28-Feb 1 2019	513	536	384	407
Feb 25-Mar 01 2019	511	535	386	404
Mar 25-29 2019	509	534	385	401
Apr 22-26 2019	497	530	388	408
May 20-24 2019	497	527	392	428
Jun 17-21 2019	496	532	392	435
Liquid
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
Jun 18-22 2018	440	503	242	277
Jul 16-20 2018	442	503	243	279
Aug 13-17 2018	446	481	233	271
Sep 10-14 2018	449	487	238	278
Oct 8-12 2018	452	488	238	280
Nov 5-9 2018	458	517	245	287
Dec 3-7 2018	457	524	249	293
Dec 31-Jan 4 2019	460	571	267	304
Jan 28-Feb 1 2019	468	585	271	313
Feb 25-Mar 01 2019	470	596	270	318
Mar 25-29 2019	470	597	269	318
Apr 22-26 2019	483	594	268	315
May 20-24 2019	487	595	270	314
Jun 17-21 2019	487	589	270	318

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

(KD/BAS)

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