DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- The streak is over.

The retail price of one of the eight major fertilizers tracked by DTN increased in the fourth week of September 2019, ending a six week run in which all of the fertilizers' prices declined.

The price of 10-34-0 increased to $471/ton, up $1 from the same time last month.

Prices for the remaining seven fertilizers were lower but not by a significant amount, which DTN considers at 5% or more. DAP had an average price of $479/ton, down $12; MAP $475/ton, down $19; potash $384/ton, down $3; urea $404/ton, down $8; anhydrous $511/ton, down $17; UAN28 $254/ton, down $2; and UAN32 $289/ton, down $1.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.44/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.45/lb.N and UAN32 $0.45/lb.N.

The fertilizer industry is a global market, and what happens on the world stage trickles down to all local markets. With this in mind, a German fertilizer company announced last week it was cutting fertilizer production in response to weak demand.

Germany fertilizer manufacturer K+S AG said it is reducing production of potassium chloride by up to 300,000 metric tons by the end of the calendar year, according to Dow Jones. The hit to earnings for the company is expected to be up to 80 million euros ($88.2 million).

The cutback comes as German economic indicators signal a possible downturn is imminent. The weakness in the German economy is spreading to services sector, which has been fairly strong over recent quarters even as manufacturing output has declined, according to a survey of purchasing managers.

With prices significantly lower in recent weeks, two fertilizers' prices dropped to being lower in price from a year ago. DAP is now 3% less expensive, and MAP is 9% lower from last year at this time.

The remaining six major fertilizers continue to be higher compared to last year. UAN32 and anhydrous are both 4% more expensive, both urea and UAN32 are now 5% higher, potash is 6% more expensive and UAN28 are 7% higher compared to last year.

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
Sep 24-28 2018	494	520	361	385
Oct 22-26 2018	499	518	366	406
Nov 19-23 2018	501	530	368	407
Dec 17-21 2018	508	532	377	407
Jan 14-18 2019	512	534	383	407
Feb 11-15 2019	512	537	385	405
Mar 11-15 2019	510	534	386	402
Apr 8-12 2019	505	532	387	404
May 6-10 2019	501	527	391	418
Jun 3-7 2019	497	527	392	434
Jul 1-5, 2019	498	532	392	432
Jul 29-Aug 2 2019	494	530	393	428
Aug 26-30 2019	491	494	387	412
Sep 23-27, 2019	479	475	384	404
Liquid
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
Sep 24-28 2018	449	493	236	278
Oct 22-26 2018	457	499	243	284
Nov 19-23 2018	457	520	246	287
Dec 17-21 2018	457	565	265	304
Jan 14-18 2019	462	580	270	305
Feb 11-15 2019	470	596	271	318
Mar 11-15 2019	469	596	269	318
Apr 8-12 2019	481	592	271	317
May 6-10 2019	487	595	267	310
Jun 3-7 2019	487	591	271	314
Jul 1-5, 2019	482	584	276	317
Jul 29-Aug 2 2019	486	580	272	320
Aug 26-30 2019	470	528	256	290
Sep 23-27, 2019	471	511	254	289

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

(KD/SK)

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