DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- Average retail prices for most fertilizers were lower again the third week of May 2023, according to sellers surveyed by DTN.

Prices for five of the eight major fertilizers were lower compared to last month. Only one fertilizer was substantially less expensive. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

Leading fertilizers lower in price was anhydrous. The nitrogen fertilizer was 10% less expensive compared to last month with an average price of $895 per ton.

Four other fertilizers (potash, urea, 10-34-0, UAN28) were slightly lower looking back a month. Potash had an average price of $627 per ton, urea $619/ton, 10-34-0 $739/ton and UAN28 $421/ton.

The remaining three fertilizers were slightly higher in price than a month ago. DAP had an average price of $829/ton, MAP $831/ton and UAN32 $514/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was $0.67/lb.N, anhydrous $0.55/lb.N, UAN28 $0.75/lb.N and UAN32 $0.80/lb.N.

The total number of fertilizer carloads originated by Class I railroads for the week ended May 6, 2023, was 6,550 -- an all-time high since the Surface Transportation Board (STB) began collecting the data in March of 2017, according to the May 18 USDA Grain Transportation Report (https://www.ams.usda.gov/…).

For the first 12 weeks of 2023, fertilizer carloads were 2% fewer than the prior five-year average. However, in the weeks since then (weeks 13 through 19), fertilizer carloads have risen, and are now 3% above the five-year average.

"The rise in fertilizer carloads comes amid lower fertilizer prices from last year, higher corn plantings than last year and restricted upbound barge traffic on the Mississippi River due to flooding," the report said.

All fertilizers are now lower double digits compared to one year ago. 10-34-0 is 18% less expensive, DAP is 22% lower, MAP is 23% less expensive, potash is 29%, UAN32 are 30% lower, UAN28 is 34% less expensive, urea is 38% less expensive and urea is 41% lower compared to a year prior.

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/….

Fertilizer costs in 2023 are considerably less than in 2022, according to Purdue University Extension crop budgets. You can read about it here: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

DRY
Date Range	DAP	MAP	POTASH	UREA
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 2022	926	960	831	795
Dec 26-Dec 30 2022	885	891	765	751
Jan 23-Jan 27 2023	855	865	714	708
Feb 20-Feb 24 2023	836	834	673	666
Mar 20-Mar 24 2023	821	812	645	627
Apr 17-21 2023	826	812	643	626
May 15-19 2023	829	831	627	619
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
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 2022	753	1416	583	681
Dec 26-Dec 30 2022	751	1325	573	679
Jan 23-Jan 27 2023	754	1237	523	630
Feb 20-Feb 24 2023	741	1124	470	554
Mar 20-Mar 24 2023	740	1036	429	514
Apr 17-21 2023	740	995	423	507
May 15-19 2023	739	895	421	514

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

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