DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices continued to hold fairly steady the second week of June 2017, according to fertilizer retailers surveyed by DTN. For several weeks in a row now, prices for all fertilizers have seen only minor moves in either direction.

Of the eight major fertilizers, prices for all but one were slightly lower compared to a month prior. Those were DAP with an average price of $437 price ton, MAP $470/ton, urea $338/ton, 10-34-0 $435, anhydrous $500/ton, UAN28 $246/ton and UAN32 $278/ton.

The remaining fertilizer, potash, was just slightly higher compared to the previous month. Potash had an average price of $341/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.37/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.44/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.

In the last several columns, we have taken a closer look at sidedressing nitrogen on corn, a practice occurring right now across the Corn Belt. Farmers have different thoughts on the increasingly popular practice to get nitrogen applied when young corn plants need the nutrients the most.

Concordia, Kansas, farmer Karl Jacobsen choses to sidedress his irrigated corn acres but not his dryland corn. He applies roughly half up front on his irrigated acres and then comes back and side dresses the other half with anhydrous on his north-central Kansas farm.

Jacobsen applies 100 pounds of nitrogen up front and then comes back and side dresses his irrigated acres. On his dryland corn, he applies a certain amount of nitrogen up front and then plants the crop, he said.

"I have a yield goal and I fertilizer for that," Jacobsen said. "I tend to concentrate on my best-soil farms and the irrigated ones because I always get something on those acres."

In addition, he also utilizes a crop scout who gives him various crop-related recommendations. Jacobsen watches his own crops pretty closely, as well.

Retail fertilizers are lower compared to a year earlier. Two of the eight major fertilizers are still double-digits lower.

10-34-0 is 22% lower from a year ago while anhydrous is 12% less expensive. UAN32 is 9% lower and both UAN32 and urea are down 8%. DAP is 7% less expensive and both MAP and potash are both 5% lower.

DTN collects roughly 1,700 retail fertilizer bids from 310 retailer locations weekly. Not all fertilizer prices change each week. Prices are subject to change at any time.

DTN Pro Grains subscribers can find current retail fertilizer price in the DTN Fertilizer Index on the Fertilizer page under Farm Business.

Retail fertilizer charts dating back to 2010 are available in the DTN fertilizer segment. The charts included cost of N/lb., DAP, MAP, potash, urea, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32.

DTN's average of retail fertilizer prices from a month earlier ($ per ton):

DRY
Date Range	DAP	MAP	POTASH	UREA
June 13-17 2016	469	496	359	367
July 11-15 2016	467	496	358	360
Aug 8-12 2016	453	482	344	345
Sept 5-9 2016	446	464	325	325
Oct 3-7 2016	438	451	312	315
Oct 31-Nov 4 2016	436	451	314	319
Nov 28-Dec 2 2016	435	445	318	331
Dec 26-30 2016	431	443	321	336
Jan 23-27 2017	429	443	322	347
Feb 20-24 2017	433	452	332	359
Mar 20-24 2017	438	464	338	356
Apr 17-21 2017	438	466	339	352
May 15-19 2017	437	471	340	350
Jun 12-16 2017	437	470	341	338
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
June 13-17 2016	555	566	266	305
July 11-15 2016	538	547	266	306
Aug 8-12 2016	528	522	249	299
Sept 5-9 2016	478	502	228	274
Oct 3-7 2016	454	472	224	263
Oct 31-Nov 4 2016	452	471	244	262
Nov 28-Dec 2 2016	447	465	217	256
Dec 26-30 2016	437	466	217	254
Jan 23-27 2017	436	480	235	268
Feb 20-24 2017	440	490	241	276
Mar 20-24 2017	441	507	248	280
Apr 17-21 2017	437	509	247	280
May 15-19 2017	436	510	248	283
Jun 12-16 2017	435	500	246	278

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

Follow Russ Quinn on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

(AG/BAS)

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