DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- Average retail fertilizer prices continued to shift lower the third week of December 2019, according to retailers surveyed by DTN.

All eight of the major fertilizers were lower in price from a month earlier, but none were considerably lower. DTN designates a significant price move as 5% or more.

DAP had an average price of $444 per ton, MAP $460/ton, potash $378/ton, urea $377/ton, 10-34-0 $469/ton, anhydrous $487/ton, UAN28 $239/ton and UAN32 $276/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.41/lb.N, anhydrous $0.30/lb.N, UAN28 $0.43/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.

A major fertilizer manufacturer announced last week it will cut back on production. Mosaic Co. said it will curtail phosphate production by an additional 150,000 metric tons (mt) per month at its central Florida location until the market improves, according to Dow Jones.

The decreased production is in addition to the 50,000 mt reduction implemented in the second half of 2019, primarily in Louisiana.

"A third consecutive disappointing application season in North America has led to continuing high inventories and price weakness. Mosaic will not produce at high rates when we are unable to realize reasonable prices," John O'Rourke, Mosaic CEO, said.

As a result of the fertilizer production decrease, the company said it expects fourth-quarter potash and phosphates shipment volumes to be "modestly below" recently provided guidance ranges. Last month, Mosaic said it expected fourth-quarter potash sale volumes of 1.7 million to 1.9 million metric tons (mmt) and phosphates sales volumes of 2.1 mmt to 2.3 mmt.

Retail fertilizers are mixed in price from a year ago. Both MAP and anhydrous are now 14% less expensive, DAP is 13% lower, UAN28 is 10% less expensive, UAN32 is 9% lower, urea is 7% lower and 10-34-0 is 3% less expensive from last year at this time. In addition, potash is 1% higher more expensive 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
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
Oct 21-25, 2019	465	473	383	404
Nov 18-22 2019	456	466	381	387
Dec 16-20 2019	444	460	378	377
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
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
Oct 21-25, 2019	471	507	251	291
Nov 18-22 2019	472	496	245	284
Dec 16-20 2019	469	487	239	276

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

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