DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends
Retail Fertilizer Prices Continue Slow Slide Lower
OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices are beginning to sound a bit like a broken record: They're all slightly lower, just like they've been seven of the last eight weeks, according to prices tracked by DTN for the first week of October 2019.
All eight of the major fertilizers were again lower in price from the month earlier. No fertilizer was down a significant amount, which DTN designates at 5%.
DAP had an average price of $476 per ton, down $15; MAP $474/ton, down $14; potash $384/ton, down $3; urea $404/ton, down $4; 10-34-0 $470/ton, down $3; anhydrous $511/ton, down $11; UAN28 $253/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.
As harvest ramps up across the Midwest, farmers' minds are split between harvest and the events that need to occur after harvest. Many are hoping there will be a wide fall fertilizer application season.
Dave Tidman, a farmer from Amoret, Missouri, is busy harvesting his corn crop and has seen variable yields so far. In his region of western Missouri about 70 miles south of Kansas City, corn will be harvested first followed by soybeans.
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Tidman said he is just starting to gather fertilizer prices for some cash-flow planning for the 2020 growing season. Local fertilizer prices appear to be similar to last fall, he said.
"We're planning on locking in anhydrous by pre-paying for it," Tidman told DTN. "We are also going to switch to poultry litter for our corn phosphorus (P) and potash (K) needs, so we will try to get that applied this fall for sure."
With his 2020 soybean crop, the fertilizer plan is to apply commercial P and K fertilizer ahead of the crop. In addition, Tidman would also like to apply some lime to some of his acres this fall.
"The forecast does look pretty mean, but that's the plan anyway," he said.
With prices significantly lower in recent months, two fertilizers' prices dropped to being lower in price from a year ago. MAP is now 9% less expensive and DAP is 5% lower from last year at this time.
The remaining six major fertilizers continue to be slightly higher compared to last year. UAN32 is 3% more expensive, both urea and 10-34-0 are 4% higher, anhydrous is 5% more expensive, potash is 6% higher and UAN28 is 7% 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 |
Oct 1-5 2018 | 501 | 523 | 364 | 389 |
Oct 29-Nov 2 2018 | 506 | 528 | 366 | 408 |
Nov 26-30 2018 | 501 | 530 | 369 | 409 |
Dec 24-28 2018 | 507 | 533 | 379 | 407 |
Jan 21-25 2019 | 512 | 535 | 383 | 409 |
Feb 18-22 2019 | 512 | 536 | 385 | 404 |
Mar 18-22 2019 | 509 | 533 | 386 | 401 |
Apr 15-19 2019 | 504 | 531 | 388 | 404 |
May 13-17 2019 | 498 | 526 | 392 | 426 |
Jun 10-14 2019 | 497 | 527 | 392 | 434 |
Jul 8-12, 2019 | 497 | 532 | 392 | 431 |
Aug 5-9 2019 | 495 | 531 | 395 | 428 |
Sep 2-6 2019 | 491 | 488 | 387 | 408 |
Sep 30-Oct 4, 2019 | 476 | 474 | 384 | 404 |
LIQUID | ||||
Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
Oct 1-5 2018 | 451 | 488 | 237 | 279 |
Oct 29-Nov 2 2018 | 457 | 505 | 245 | 285 |
Nov 26-30 2018 | 457 | 519 | 246 | 287 |
Dec 24-28 2018 | 457 | 568 | 266 | 303 |
Jan 21-25 2019 | 467 | 584 | 270 | 313 |
Feb 18-22 2019 | 470 | 596 | 271 | 317 |
Mar 18-22 2019 | 470 | 597 | 270 | 318 |
Apr 15-19 2019 | 481 | 594 | 270 | 317 |
May 13-17 2019 | 487 | 595 | 267 | 311 |
Jun 10-14 2019 | 487 | 591 | 271 | 314 |
Jul 8-12, 2019 | 485 | 585 | 276 | 317 |
Aug 5-9 2019 | 491 | 580 | 272 | 320 |
Sep 2-6 2019 | 473 | 522 | 255 | 290 |
Sep 30-Oct 4, 2019 | 470 | 511 | 253 | 289 |
Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN
(KD/AG)
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