DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- After a week in which half of the average retail fertilizer prices were lower, prices for most fertilizers moved higher the first week of March 2022 compared to a month earlier, according to sellers surveyed by DTN.

Seven of the eight major fertilizers were higher looking back a month, though none were up a significant amount. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

DAP had an average price of $879 per ton, MAP $937/ton, potash $815/ton, 10-34-0 $837/ton, anhydrous $1,487/ton, UAN28 $603 (all-time high price) and UAN32 $703/ton (all-time high price).

One fertilizer was slightly lower in price compared to the prior month. Urea had an average price of $887/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.96/lb.N, anhydrous $0.91/lb.N, UAN28 $1.08/lb.N and UAN32 $1.10/lb.N.

Brazil is looking for a new fertilizer supplier as the war in Ukraine threatens to cut off shipments of nutrients to the South American agriculture giant, Dow Jones reported.

Brazil imports about 85% of its fertilizer needs and about a fifth of those imports come from Russia. Russia's trade ministry has called for the suspension of fertilizer exports.

Even before the conflict, there were numerous issues with global fertilizer supply. Higher natural gas prices, a lower supply from China and weather issues curtailing U.S. production all came together in 2021 to reduce supply, thus raising world fertilizer prices.

The war in Ukraine has made this situation worse, according to industry analysts.

Dow Jones reported that Brazilian Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina Dias said she is planning to travel to Canada this month to hopefully secure more fertilizer supplies. Dias said Brazil has enough stocks to last until October, although some don't agree with this statement.

The Brazilian National Fertilizer Association has warned local fertilizer stocks will only last another three months. Sanctions and travel restrictions have hampered shipments to Brazil, the group said.

"We are experiencing firsthand what it means to depend on imported fertilizer," Jefferson Souza, a Brazil-based fertilizer analyst at Agrinvest Commodities, told Dow Jones.

Sluggish productivity has kept the country from developing a larger domestic fertilizer industry, he said.

Most fertilizers continue to be considerably higher in price than one year earlier.

MAP is now 39% more expensive, DAP is 44% higher, 10-34-0 is 50% more expensive, urea is 87% higher, potash is 96% more expensive, UAN32 is 131% higher, UAN28 137% is more expensive and anhydrous is 166% higher compared to last year.

DTN surveys more than 300 retailers, gathering roughly 1,700 fertilizer price bids, to compile the DTN Fertilizer Index each week. In addition to national averages, MyDTN subscribers can access the full DTN Fertilizer Index, which includes state averages, here: https://www.mydtn.com/….

The Mosaic Company said strong commodity prices will drive the fertilizer demand higher through at least 2022, Dow Jones reported. You can read it here: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

DRY
Date Range	DAP	MAP	POTASH	UREA
Mar 1-5 2021	609	673	416	474
Mar 29-Apr 2 2021	618	697	429	502
Apr 26-30 2021	629	703	433	513
May 24-28 2021	652	709	443	523
Jun 21-25 2021	670	720	469	541
Jul 19-23 2021	695	750	543	553
Aug 16-20 2021	695	755	564	556
Sep 13-17 2021	702	776	598	572
Oct 11-15 2021	798	860	710	719
Nov 8-12 2021	821	906	762	832
Dec 6-10 2021	840	919	778	887
Jan 3-7 2022	863	931	807	913
Jan 31-Feb 4 2022	877	933	813	905
Feb 28-Mar 4 2022	879	937	815	887
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
Mar 1-5 2021	560	560	254	304
Mar 29-Apr 2 2021	599	685	340	377
Apr 26-30 2021	613	710	350	391
May 24-28 2021	619	719	361	407
Jun 21-25 2021	625	724	366	420
Jul 19-23 2021	632	736	365	419
Aug 16-20 2021	631	743	369	420
Sep 13-17 2021	632	762	381	428
Oct 11-15 2021	654	873	442	488
Nov 8-12 2021	719	1162	566	614
Dec 6-10 2021	756	1372	577	661
Jan 3-7 2022	795	1430	584	679
Jan 31-Feb 4 2022	826	1487	600	699
Feb 28-Mar 4 2022	837	1487	603	703

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

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