DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

Nitrogen Fertilizer Prices Keep Setting New Records

Russ Quinn
By  Russ Quinn , DTN Staff Reporter
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The average retail price for urea increased 7% from last month with an average price of $954/ton, an all-time high. The nitrogen fertilizer is 92% more expensive than it was at this time last year. (DTN Chart)

OMAHA (DTN) -- Strength is returning to the retail fertilizer market, according to prices tracked by DTN for the third week of March 2022.

All eight of the major fertilizers were higher compared to last month and four were considerably higher. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

DAP was up 11% compared to last month with an average price of $970/ton.

Both MAP and urea were 7% more expensive. Urea was $954/ton, an all-time high in DTN's price records, while MAP had an average price of $1,001/ton. The last time MAP was above the $1,000/ton level was the third week of November 2008 when the price was $1,039/ton. The all-time high price for MAP in the DTN dataset is $1,079/ton the first week of November 2008.

In addition, 10-34-0 is up 5% from last month. Starter fertilizer's average price was $876/ton.

The remaining four fertilizers were slightly higher compared to last month. Potash had an average price of $843/ton, anhydrous $1,520/ton (all-time high price), UAN28 $610/ton (all-time high price) and UAN32 $706/ton (all-time high price).

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $1.04/lb.N, anhydrous $0.93/lb.N, UAN28 $1.09/lb.N and UAN32 $1.10/lb.N.

Last week, USDA announced it would support additional fertilizer production to address the rising cost of nutrients. The government agency will put $250 million in a grant program to support new domestic fertilizer production.

In a press release from last week, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) welcomed the initiatives to strengthen domestic fertilizer production.

It said the industry is more robust than it has been the last 20 years thanks to innovation, according to TFI.

"By enacting policies that encourage safe, abundant and affordable supplies of natural gas, which is the chief feedstock for nitrogen production, ensuring that permitting of production plants is streamlined and adding phosphate and potash to the Department of the Interior's Critical Mineral list, policymakers can also support this vital industry," the TIF press release stated.

TFI said it looks forward to providing USDA with data during the public comment period.

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

MAP is now 45% more expensive, 10-34-0 is 47% higher, DAP is 58% more expensive, UAN28 is 84% higher, UAN32 is 89% more expensive, urea is 92% higher, potash is 99% is more expensive and anhydrous is 127% higher compared to last year.

DTN surveys more than 300 retailers 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/….

USDA announced on Mar. 11 it will support fertilizer production to address the rising cost of nutrients. You can read it here: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

The recent DTN Global Fertilizer Outlook series focused attention to what the world expectation could be in 2022. This series examined the supply and demand of nutrients globally as well as what direction fertilizer prices could go in the New Year.

Read the nitrogen outlook here: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

Read the phosphorus outlook here:

https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Read the potash outlook here:

https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Dry
Date Range DAP MAP POTASH UREA
Mar 15-19 2021 616 693 424 496
Apr 12-16 2021 624 702 432 509
May 10-14 2021 631 702 437 515
Jun 7-11 2021 656 717 450 527
Jul 5-9 2021 690 729 491 549
Aug 2-6 2021 695 755 557 556
Aug 30-Sep 3 2021 697 756 571 557
Sep 27-Oct 1 2021 722 800 647 620
Oct 25-29 2021 812 873 731 751
Nov 22-26 2021 830 915 775 868
Dec 20-24 2021 862 932 807 910
Jan 17-21 2022 863 932 807 916
Feb 14-18 2022 874 935 815 891
Mar 14-18 2022 970 1001 843 954
Liquid
Date Range 10-34-0 ANHYD UAN28 UAN32
Mar 15-19 2021 596 671 331 373
Apr 12-16 2021 609 700 345 387
May 10-14 2021 620 713 361 406
Jun 7-11 2021 620 718 363 414
Jul 5-9 2021 624 732 371 421
Aug 2-6 2021 631 738 367 418
Aug 30-Sep 3 2021 632 749 371 420
Sep 27-Oct 1 2021 638 782 388 444
Oct 25-29 2021 663 982 458 522
Nov 22-26 2021 755 1308 574 660
Dec 20-24 2021 791 1424 583 679
Jan 17-21 2022 800 1433 585 683
Feb 14-18 2022 837 1488 603 703
Mar 14-18 2022 876 1520 610 706

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

Follow him on Twitter at @RussQuinnDTN

Russ Quinn