DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- Average retail prices for most fertilizers were slightly higher the first week of April 2017, according to fertilizer retailers surveyed by DTN.

It was the third straight week that not all of the eight major fertilizers were higher-priced. And for seven of the eight fertilizers that were higher, prices were up only slightly.

DAP had average price of $438 per ton, MAP $466/ton, potash $338/ton, anhydrous $505/ton, UAN28 $248/ton and UAN32 $280/ton.

One fertilizer, urea, was down from the previous month. The nitrogen fertilizer was just slightly lower in price compared to a month ago with an average price of $354 per ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.39/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.44/lb.N and UAN32 $0.44/lb.N.

With corn planting beginning in some areas of the Corn Belt, farmers are in the final stages of applying fertilizer for the upcoming crop. Wayne Martin, who farms near Shelby, Iowa, said he was in the final stretch of applying fertilizer to his southwestern Iowa soils last week.

"We run a very different program from most people, running all liquid except for fertilizer-grade ammonium sulfate (AMS)," Martin said. "We started applying fertilizer back in March."

Despite extremely tight crop margins, Martin basically stuck with his normal fertilizer program for his corn acres. He did make small adjustments to his fertilizer plan for financial and efficiency needs, he said.

In past years, however, he did make more drastic changes to his fertilizer application procedures. For instance, he decided to stop applying micronutrients except for some zinc in his starter fertilizer.

One thing Martin has not altered is when he purchases his fertilizer. For this year's crop, he pre-paid for his fertilizer at the end of December 2016, which is when he normally buys his nutrients, he said.

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

10-34-0 is 21% lower from a year ago, anhydrous is 14% less expensive and UAN32 is 11% lower. DAP, urea and UAN28 are all 9% less expensive well both MAP and potash are both 8% lower to year earlier.

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 4-8 2016	480	504	369	387
May 2-6 2016	475	502	366	385
May 30-June 3 2016	473	499	363	375
June 27-July 1 2016	468	495	358	365
July 25-29 2016	459	492	356	356
Aug 22-26 2016	451	468	330	330
Sept 19-23 2016	443	453	319	323
Oct 17-21 2016	436	452	313	317
Nov 14-18 2016	436	445	315	327
Dec 12-16 2016	433	443	320	333
Jan 9-13 2017	432	441	320	338
Feb 6-10 2017	431	448	330	354
Mar 03-10 2017	436	460	336	361
Apr 3-7 2017	438	466	338	354
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
Apr 4-8 2016	561	586	272	315
May 2-6 2016	560	589	274	321
May 30-June 3 2016	559	579	268	313
June 27-July 1 2016	554	566	266	304
July 25-29 2016	543	545	257	304
Aug 22-26 2016	502	515	234	280
Sept 19-23 2016	470	494	225	271
Oct 17-21 2016	453	475	224	265
Nov 14-18 2016	445	466	219	256
Dec 12-16 2016	444	463	219	257
Jan 9-13 2017	437	467	222	258
Feb 6-10 2017	440	485	238	273
Mar 03-10 2017	441	503	246	279
Apr 3-7 2017	441	505	248	280

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

(AG/BAS)

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