DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- Average retail prices for the majority of fertilizers were slightly higher the first week of April 2019, according to retailers surveyed by DTN. This brings to an end a string of several weeks when prices for the majority of fertilizers were lower.

Six of the eight major fertilizers were slightly higher compared to last month. Potash had an average price of $386 per ton, urea $405/ton, 10-34-0 $474/ton, anhydrous $599/ton, UAN28 $272/ton and UAN32 $319/ton.

Two fertilizers were slightly lower than they were the prior month. DAP had an average price of $509/ton and MAP $533/ton.

On the cost of N/per pound, urea is at $0.44, anhydrous $0.37, UAN28 $0.49 and UAN32 $0.50.

As Corn Belt farmers return to their fields this spring, among the first tasks they need to complete is applying fertilizer, specifically nitrogen. With so little fertilizer applied last fall because of wet field conditions that delayed harvest and closed the fall application window, much fertilizer will be applied in the coming weeks.

In a recent Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Integrated Crops Management News report titled "Anhydrous Ammonia Application -- Spring 2019," John Sawyer, professor of agronomy and Extension specialist in soil fertility and nutrient management, wrote that farmers should consider four important points as they begin to apply anhydrous in the fairly tight window before corn planting.

The first important consideration is that application procedures are key to avoiding injury to corn seedlings. Deep injection of 6 to 8 inches and a good seal of the injection track are the best ways to avoid ammonia placed in -- or movement into -- the corn root zone, he wrote.

"If you can smell ammonia after an application pass, adjust equipment or wait for better conditions," Sawyer wrote.

The second consideration is adjusting planting plans to help reduce the opportunity for crop injury. There is no magic number of days to wait to avoid injury, but there are precautions farmers can take. This includes such things as not planting over injection tracks, offsetting planter rows 4 to 6 inches using GPS, and reducing the application rate.

The third consideration is that the chance of crop injury increases with higher application rates due to the greater ammonia concentration and a larger retention zone.

If the injection point is 6 to 8 inches in depth, the outer edge of an ammonia retention zone could be 4 inches from the point of injection. With seed planted at a 2-inch depth directly over an ammonia track, the seed would be outside but close to the outer edge of the applied ammonia band. Shallower injections, greater movement upward from the injection point, wider spacing and higher rates are all situations that could lead to greater chance of root/seedling damage.

The fourth and final consideration farmers should remember when applying anhydrous this spring is that nitrogen fertilizer can be applied sidedress.

Sawyer wrote that, as long as the injection track does not cause soil to cover corn rows (not yet emerged or emerged plants), then sidedress application can begin right after planting and until corn is too tall to get application through the field. Consider sidedress application to help widen the window of ammonia application, and this will help lessen short-term product supply issues.

"Be mindful of what is happening at application, especially if soil conditions are not ideal," he wrote.

To read the entire ISU report, click the following link:

https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/…

All eight major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year. MAP is 5% higher, DAP is 6% more expensive, urea is 9% higher, potash is 10% more expensive, 10-34-0 is 12% higher, UAN28 is 14% more expensive, UAN32 is 16% higher and anhydrous is 18% more expensive.

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
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
Nov 12-16 2018	500	530	368	407
Dec 10-14 2018	505	533	375	407
Jan 7-11 2019	508	533	381	407
Feb 4-8 2019	511	536	385	408
Mar 4-8 2019	510	534	386	403
Apr 1-5 2019	509	533	386	405
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
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
Nov 12-16 2018	457	519	245	287
Dec 10-14 2018	455	552	261	302
Jan 7-11 2019	461	573	267	304
Feb 4-8 2019	470	596	271	318
Mar 4-8 2019	470	596	270	317
Apr 1-5 2019	474	599	272	319

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

(AG/BAS)

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