DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- After five consecutive weeks of across-the-board, month-over-month increases in retail fertilizer prices, only six of the eight fertilizers tracked by DTN were higher for the third week of October 2018.

Urea recorded the largest month-over-month increase of $21/ton to $405/ton. One year ago, urea prices came in at $340/ton. The second-highest rise in price since last month came from 10-34-0, which grew by $9/ton to $457/ton.

Small increases were seen in UAN32, UAN28, DAP and potash. UAN 32 saw an average price increase of $5/ton to $283/ton from one month ago. UAN 28 and DAP both increased by $4/ton to $243/ton and $498/ton, respectively. Since last month, the average price of potash increased by $3/ton to $365.

The price of anhydrous remained steady at $494/ton since last month, while MAP showed the only price decrease, falling from $520/ton to $518/ton for this update. However, the average anhydrous price is $97 higher than one year ago, while MAP is now $66 higher than last year.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.44/lb.N, anhydrous $0.30/lb.N, UAN28 $0.43/lb.N and UAN32 $0.44/lb.N.

As fertilizer prices continue to rise, the University of Arkansas chemical engineering department announced efforts last week to help farmers develop systems to recycle water and recover nutrients to be reused as fertilizer. The research is funded with a $4.3 million grant from the USDA.

According to a news release, the grant is used to support research on electrochemical processes for treating nutrients in wastewater. The process involves attaching electrodes to a fine membrane as a way to filter or separate nutrients from wastewater and convert them into fertilizer.

You can read more here:

https://news.uark.edu/…

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.

DRY
Date Range	DAP	MAP	POTASH	UREA
Oct 16-20 2017	432	452	348	340
Nov 13-17 2017	435	459	342	339
Dec 11-15 2017	439	479	343	340
Jan 8-12 2018	456	491	346	352
Feb 5-9 2018	458	493	344	355
Mar 5-9 2018	463	503	349	367
Apr 2-6 2018	478	508	352	370
Apr 30-May 4 2018	485	505	353	368
May 28-June 1 2018	483	504	354	364
Jun 25-29 2018	485	505	354	364
Jul 23-27 2018	486	504	356	366
Aug 20-24 2018	487	514	356	364
Sep 17-21 2018	494	520	362	384
Oct 15-19 2018	498	518	365	405
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
Oct 16-20 2017	413	397	205	262
Nov 13-17 2017	403	410	216	272
Dec 11-15 2017	403	434	218	256
Jan 8-12 2018	410	479	220	258
Feb 5-9 2018	415	492	227	261
Mar 5-9 2018	422	499	234	272
Apr 2-6 2018	425	508	239	274
Apr 30-May 4 2018	431	510	241	277
May 28-June 1 2018	439	504	241	276
Jun 25-29 2018	440	504	242	277
Jul 23-27 2018	442	501	243	279
Aug 20-24 2018	446	481	233	271
Sep 17-21 2018	448	494	239	278
Oct 15-19 2018	457	494	243	283

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @toddneeleyDTN

(KD/BAS)

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