DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- For the second straight week, more retail fertilizer prices were higher than lower compared to last month. And, once again, no fertilizer saw a significant price move in either direction.

Prices for six of the eight major fertilizers were higher in the week of Feb. 19-23 compared to a month earlier. Prices for the remaining two fertilizers were lower. For the fifth consecutive week, no fertilizer price moved significantly, which DTN designates as anything 5% or more.

Of the six fertilizers with a higher price, DAP had an average price of $749 per ton, MAP $812/ton, urea $534/ton, 10-34-0 $615/ton, UAN28 $339/ton and UAN32 $393/ton.

Prices for the remaining two fertilizers, meanwhile, were just slightly lower compared to last month. Potash had an average price of $506 per ton, while anhydrous was at $764/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.58/lb.N, anhydrous $0.47/lb.N, UAN28 $0.61/lb.N and UAN32 $0.61/lb.N.

Kansas State University (KSU) farm management Extension specialist Gregg Ibendahl said in a recent KSU Extension news release that he believes fertilizers will be on a different price trend in 2024 compared to 2023. He is also urging producers not to follow last year's buying patterns.

"I don't think waiting and buying fertilizer this spring will allow much saving because fertilizer has been rising a good portion of the winter," Ibendahl said in the news release.

Ibendahl said he believes fertilizer will most likely be steady during the year and thinks there is not much downside potential with fertilizer prices. The chances of fertilizer going higher is the bigger risk to producers in 2024, he said.

All fertilizers except one are now lower by double digits compared to one year ago. MAP is 3% lower, DAP is 11% less expensive, 10-34-0 is 17% lower, urea is 20% less expensive, potash is 25% lower, UAN28 is 28% less expensive, UAN32 is 29% lower and anhydrous is 32% lower compared to the 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/….

The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) recently expressed some alarm with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) lowering of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), according to a TFI news release. You can read about it here: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

DRY
Date Range	DAP	MAP	POTASH	UREA
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
June 12-16 2023	823	832	621	624
July 10-14 2023	811	823	614	609
Aug 7-Aug 11 2023	758	764	566	576
Sep 4-8 2023	738	745	518	563
Oct 2-6 2023	705	791	508	573
Oct 30-Nov 3 2023	713	801	508	573
Nov 27-Dec 1 2023	715	820	518	552
Dec 25-29 2023	721	812	514	536
Jan 22-26 2024	734	809	509	527
Feb 19-23 2024	749	812	506	534
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
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
June 12-16 2023	737	781	406	476
July 10-14 2023	730	734	393	465
Aug 7-Aug 11 2023	714	634	369	400
Sep 4-8 2023	611	693	356	390
Oct 2-6 2023	609	790	354	414
Oct 30-Nov 3 2023	611	826	358	415
Nov 27-Dec 1 2023	595	847	341	409
Dec 25-29 2023	599	792	340	394
Jan 22-26 2024	610	770	335	390
Feb 19-23 2024	615	764	339	393

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

Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @RussQuinnDTN

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

Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @RussQuinnDTN.

(c) Copyright 2024 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.