DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

Retail Fertilizer Prices Continue Slow Slide Lower

Russ Quinn
By  Russ Quinn , DTN Staff Reporter
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MAP price dropped $14 per ton this week to $474/ton, one of the largest price moves of the fertilizers tracked by DTN. MAP is now 9% less expensive than at the same time last year. (DTN chart)

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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Russ Quinn