DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

Fertilizer Prices Continue Mostly Lower

Russ Quinn
By  Russ Quinn , DTN Staff Reporter
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Urea dropped below the $800/ton level for the first time since the fourth week of October 2021. (DTN chart)

OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the first full week of December 2022 continue mostly lower. As was the case last week, six of the eight major fertilizers are lower while two are higher compared to a month earlier.

Of the six fertilizers, they were all slightly lower compared to last month. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

DAP had an average price of $926/ton, MAP $960/ton, potash $831/ton, urea $795/ton, 10-34-0 $753/ton and anhydrous $1,416/ton.

Urea dropped below the $800/ton level for the first time since the fourth week of October 2021. The nitrogen fertilizer's price then was $751/ton.

The remaining two fertilizers were slightly more expensive looking back to last month. UAN28 had an average price of $583/ton while UAN32 was at $681/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.86/lb.N, anhydrous $0.86/lb.N, UAN28 $1.04/lb.N and UAN32 $1.07/lb.N.

High input prices, including fertilizers, remain high on farmers' list of concerns, according to the most recent edition of the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

The index came in at 102 in November, unchanged from October. The Current Conditions Index declined three points to a reading of 98 in November while the Future Expectations Index increased two points to a reading of 104.

"Even though sentiment remained relatively unchanged in November, producers are continuing to look at their bottom line," James Mintert, the barometer's principal investigator and director of Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture, said in a news release.

"Rising interest rates combined with high farm input and energy costs are creating a lot of uncertainty at the farm level."

The survey is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers' responses to a telephone interview survey. The November survey was done Nov. 14-18 after the U.S. midterm elections.

The complete report for the November barometer can be viewed at https://ag.purdue.edu/….

Most fertilizers continue to be higher in price than one year earlier, although two are now slightly lower.

10-34-0 is now 1% lower while urea is 9% less expensive than one year ago. UAN28 is 1% higher, UAN32 is 3% more expensive, MAP is 5% higher, potash is 7% more expensive, anhydrous is 8% higher and DAP is 11% higher compared to last year.

DTN gathers fertilizer price bids from agriculture retailers each week to compile the DTN Fertilizer Index. DTN first began reporting data in November 2008.

In addition to national averages, MyDTN subscribers can access the full DTN Fertilizer Index, which includes state averages, here: https://www.mydtn.com/….

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) updated its 2023 Nebraska Crop Production Budgets last week. As expected, input costs were considerably higher. You can read it here: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

Dry
Date Range DAP MAP POTASH UREA
Nov 29-Dec 3 2021 836 918 777 873
Dec 27-31 2021 864 931 809 911
Jan 24-28 2022 877 936 814 910
Feb 21-25 2022 874 934 815 885
Mar 21-25 2022 1014 1018 850 976
Apr 18-22 2022 1050 1079 879 1012
May 16-20 2022 1059 1083 878 993
Jun 13-Jun 17 2022 1046 1074 879 961
Jul 11-15 2022 1030 1052 885 861
Aug 8-12 2022 982 1032 881 812
Sep 5-9 2022 952 1009 878 800
Oct 3-7 2022 934 997 869 826
Oct 31-Nov 4 2022 930 981 857 826
Nov 28-Dec 2 2016 926 960 831 795
Liquid
Date Range 10-34-0 ANHYD UAN28 UAN32
Nov 29-Dec 3 2021 756 1313 575 661
Dec 27-31 2021 795 1428 583 679
Jan 24-28 2022 817 1492 601 699
Feb 21-25 2022 837 1488 602 703
Mar 21-25 2022 881 1523 622 698
Apr 18-22 2022 906 1534 631 730
May 16-20 2022 906 1529 634 731
Jun 13-Jun 17 2022 905 1516 630 730
Jul 11-15 2022 904 1449 606 701
Aug 8-12 2022 881 1365 578 678
Sep 5-9 2022 866 1357 579 658
Oct 3-7 2022 813 1390 565 652
Oct 31-Nov 4 2022 759 1426 583 680
Nov 28-Dec 2 2016 753 1416 583 681

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

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Russ Quinn