DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices continued to push higher the first week of May 2021, according to sellers surveyed by DTN.

Like last week, all eight of the major fertilizers were higher compared to a month earlier. Unlike recent weeks, a couple fertilizers were significantly higher, which DTN designates as 5% or more.

Both UAN28 and UAN32 were 5% more expensive compared to last month. UAN28 has an average price of $358 per ton and UAN32 $398/ton.

The average retail price of DAP and anhydrous increased 3%, to $634/ton and $712/ton, respectively.

Two fertilizers' prices increased 2%. Urea had an average price of $514/ton while 10-34-0 was $618/ton.

The remaining two fertilizers, MAP and potash, each had 1% price increases. MAP cost an average of $705/ton, while potash was $436/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.56/lb.N, anhydrous $0.43/lb.N, UAN28 $0.64/lb.N and UAN32 $0.62/lb.N.

Since this most recent price increase in retail fertilizer appears to be subsiding a bit, I thought we would compare prices in a couple shorter time frames to see how much was added to the price of retail fertilizer. I selected three months ago and six months ago.

Three months back was the first week of February, and prices were well on their move to the high side.

Comparing prices last week to three months earlier, prices increased anywhere from $47/ton (potash) to $205/ton (anhydrous). A few fertilizers (potash, DAP, urea) were just double digits higher, while most (MAP, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28, UAN32) were over $100/ton more expensive.

As you might expect when you look back to six months ago (first week of November 2020), there are some rather large price increases during this time.

The range this time includes both potash and anhydrous, but the price increases are considerably more, with potash $105/ton higher on the low end and anhydrous $289/ton more expensive on the high end. All eight major fertilizers were up triple digits from November, and two were up more than $200/ton (anhydrous $289/ton and MAP $226/ton).

MAP really increased in price from November 2020 to February 2021, adding $122/ton to the price during that three-month period. No other price moved that much during this time.

With retail fertilizer prices moving higher over recent months, all fertilizers are now higher in price from a year ago.

Potash is now 18% more expensive, 10-34-0 is 32% higher, urea is 33% more expensive, UAN32 42% higher, anhydrous is 45% more expensive, UAN28 is 51% higher, DAP is 53% more expensive and MAP 63% is higher 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.

Russ Quinn can be reached at [email protected]

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

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