DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- Acting a bit like a broken record, retail fertilizer prices continued to be slightly lower to slightly higher the first week of May 2020, according to retailers surveyed by DTN. No fertilizer had a significant move, which DTN terms as 5% or more, in either direction.

Six fertilizers were higher in price compared to last month. DAP has an average price of $413 per ton, urea $388/ton, 10-34-0 $468/ton, anhydrous $492/ton, UAN28 $237/ton and UAN32 $280/ton.

The remaining two fertilizers had slightly lower prices. MAP had an average price of $433/ton while potash was at $370/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.42/lb.N, anhydrous $0.30/lb.N, UAN28 $0.42/lb.N and UAN32 $0.44/lb.N.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected most aspects of life across the world and also many parts of the food supply chain. One area, however, the virus has not disturbed is fertilizer applications.

Fertilizer manufacturer Mosaic said demand for its crop nutrients is running high this spring, according to Dow Jones. Sales volumes for Q1 2020 were up 14% compared to last year as North American farmers apply fertilizer to their soils after poor weather limited fertilizer applications in 2019.

Mosaic CEO Joc O'Rourke said the pandemic has prompted Mosaic's customers to fast-track deliveries, but otherwise, "The season is playing out like a normal spring."

Mosaic posted an adjusted net loss of $21 million. Shares are up 12% to $12.38 after falling 51% in the past year.

Retail fertilizers are now all lower in price from a year ago. Both DAP and MAP are now 18% lower, anhydrous is 17% less expensive, UAN28 is 11% lower, UAN32 is 10% less expensive, urea is 7% lower, potash is 6% lower and 10-34-0 is 4% less expensive from last year at this time.

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
May 6-10 2019	501	527	391	418
Jun 3-7 2019	497	527	392	434
Jul 1-5, 2019	498	532	392	432
Jul 29-Aug 2 2019	494	530	393	428
Aug 26-30 2019	491	494	387	412
Sep 23-27, 2019	479	475	384	404
Oct 21-25, 2019	465	473	383	404
Nov 18-22 2019	456	466	381	387
Dec 16-20 2019	444	460	378	377
Jan 13-17 2020	433	444	375	357
Feb 10-14 2020	413	435	373	361
Mar 9-13 2020	407	432	370	377
Apr 6-10 2020	409	434	370	382
May 4-8 2020	413	433	370	388
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
May 6-10 2019	487	595	267	310
Jun 3-7 2019	487	591	271	314
Jul 1-5, 2019	482	584	276	317
Jul 29-Aug 2 2019	486	580	272	320
Aug 26-30 2019	470	528	256	290
Sep 23-27, 2019	471	511	254	289
Oct 21-25, 2019	471	507	251	291
Nov 18-22 2019	472	496	245	284
Dec 16-20 2019	469	487	239	276
Jan 13-17 2020	470	487	237	275
Feb 10-14 2020	464	490	235	277
Mar 9-13 2020	466	490	235	278
Apr 6-10 2020	468	492	235	278
May 4-8 2020	468	492	237	280

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

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