DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends
Farmers Delay Purchases Amid Stubbornly High Prices
OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the fourth week of July 2018 once again show most fertilizers are slightly higher.
Seven of the eight major fertilizers were higher compared to last month, but none were up a substantial amount. DAP had an average price of $486/ton, potash $356/ton, urea $366/ton, 10-34-0 $442/ton, anhydrous $501/ton, UAN28 $243/ton and UAN32 $279/ton.
One fertilizer was slightly lower than the previous month. MAP had an average price of $504/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.43/lb.N and UAN32 $0.44/lb.N.
Farmers usually begin locking in fertilizer prices for the upcoming growing season during midsummer, but many are holding off amid stubbornly high prices.
Robert McCain, a farmer from near Kokomo, Indiana, told DTN he switched to spring fertilizer application on every one of his north-central Indiana acres a few years back to give him a larger window to shop for and purchase MAP and potash. He works with a reliable person who spreads the fertilizer in a timely fashion in the spring, he said.
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"I haven't heard any current prices since May," said McCain, who grows corn, beans, wheat and raises hogs and cattle. "I will start contacting people within the next month or so."
McCain said he will apply ammonium sulfate (AMS) when the other fertilizer is applied to fully utilize the nitrogen. He also likes that AMS keeps sulfur from leaching, making more available to his corn plants.
All eight of the major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year with prices shifting higher in recent months. 10-34-0 is 4% higher; both potash and UAN32 are 5% more expensive; UAN28 is 6% higher; MAP is 9% more expensive; DAP is 12% higher; and both anhydrous and urea are now 19% more expensive compared to last year.
DTN collects roughly 1,700 retail fertilizer bids from 310 retailer locations weekly. Not all fertilizer prices change each week. Prices are subject to change at any time.
DTN Pro Grains subscribers can find current retail fertilizer price in the DTN Fertilizer Index on the Fertilizer page under Farm Business.
Retail fertilizer charts dating back to 2010 are available in the DTN fertilizer segment. The charts included cost of N/lb., DAP, MAP, potash, urea, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32.
DTN's average of retail fertilizer prices from a month earlier ($ per ton):
DRY | ||||
Date Range | DAP | MAP | POTASH | UREA |
Jul 24-28 2017 | 434 | 462 | 338 | 308 |
Aug 21-25 2017 | 434 | 458 | 338 | 304 |
Sep 18-22 2017 | 429 | 452 | 345 | 312 |
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 |
LIQUID | ||||
Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
Jul 10-14 2017 | 431 | 451 | 235 | 268 |
Aug 21-25 2017 | 419 | 417 | 216 | 248 |
Sep 18-22 2017 | 416 | 402 | 211 | 248 |
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 |
Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN
(KD/CZ)
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