By Russ Quinn
DTN Staff Reporter
OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices continued to show little movement in either direction the third week of June 2017, according to fertilizer retailers surveyed by DTN. A look at data collected by DTN so far this year shows prices for some fertilizers have barely budged since the beginning of the year.
Of the eight major fertilizers, prices for all but one were slightly lower compared to a month prior. DAP had an average price of $436 per ton, MAP $470/ton, urea $333/ton, 10-34-0 $435/ton, anhydrous $497/ton, UAN28 $243/ton and UAN32 $273/ton.
The remaining fertilizer, potash, was just slightly higher compared to the previous month. Potash had an average price of $340 per ton the third week of June 2017.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.36/lb.N, anhydrous $0.30/lb.N, UAN28 $0.43/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.
To say retail fertilizer prices have been steady in 2017 would perhaps be an understatement. Twenty-five weeks into the year, an examination of prices collected by DTN shows very little change for many fertilizers since the beginning of the year.
For example, at the beginning of the year, 10-34-0 was at $436 per ton, and this past week, the price was at $435 per ton, a drop of just $1 per ton since the first of the year. DAP was $431 per ton in January, and last week the price was $436 per ton, a difference of only $5 per ton. Urea started the year at $339 per ton and last week was at $333, a difference of $6 per ton.
Prices for the remaining fertilizers were all double-digits higher compared to the beginning of the year, though prices for these fertilizers did see both increases and decreases from one month to the next. Both potash and UAN32 were $18 per ton higher the third week of June 2017 compared to the beginning of the year, UAN28 was $25 per ton higher, MAP $28 per ton higher and anhydrous $32 per ton higher.
While retail fertilizer prices remain fairly stable, there was one interesting item to note in prices this week. Anhydrous fell below $500 per ton for the first time since the third week in February 2017. That week, the price was $490 per ton.
Though prices for some fertilizers have inched higher since the beginning of the year, prices for all retail fertilizers are still lower compared to a year earlier. Three of the eight major fertilizers are still double-digits lower.
10-34-0 is 22% lower from a year ago while anhydrous is 12% less expensive and UAN32 is 10% lower. Both UAN32 and urea are down 9%, DAP is 7% less expensive and both MAP and potash are both 5% lower.
DTN collects roughly 1,700 retail fertilizer bids from 310 retailer locations weekly. Not all fertilizer prices change each week. Prices are subject to change at any time.
DTN Pro Grains subscribers can find current retail fertilizer price in the DTN Fertilizer Index on the Fertilizer page under Farm Business.
Retail fertilizer charts dating back to 2010 are available in the DTN fertilizer segment. The charts included cost of N/lb., DAP, MAP, potash, urea, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32.
DTN's average of retail fertilizer prices from a month earlier ($ per ton):
| DRY |
| Date Range | DAP | MAP | POTASH | UREA |
| June 20-24 2016 | 470 | 495 | 358 | 366 |
| July 18-22 2016 | 464 | 493 | 357 | 357 |
| Aug 15-19 2016 | 452 | 471 | 333 | 337 |
| Sept 12-16 2016 | 444 | 458 | 320 | 324 |
| Oct 10-14 2016 | 438 | 452 | 313 | 316 |
| Nov 7-11 2016 | 429 | 449 | 314 | 323 |
| Dec 5-9 2016 | 434 | 443 | 318 | 333 |
| Jan 2-6 2017 | 431 | 442 | 322 | 339 |
| Jan 30-Feb 3 2017 | 430 | 448 | 329 | 353 |
| Feb 27-Mar 03 2017 | 436 | 458 | 335 | 361 |
| Mar 27-31 2017 | 438 | 465 | 338 | 356 |
| Apr 24-28 2017 | 437 | 466 | 338 | 352 |
| May 22-26 2017 | 436 | 471 | 340 | 343 |
| Jun 19-23 2017 | 436 | 470 | 340 | 333 |
| LIQUID |
| Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
| June 20-24 2016 | 554 | 567 | 265 | 305 |
| July 18-22 2016 | 546 | 546 | 260 | 304 |
| Aug 15-19 2016 | 513 | 516 | 238 | 285 |
| Sept 12-16 2016 | 474 | 496 | 233 | 272 |
| Oct 10-14 2016 | 454 | 475 | 224 | 264 |
| Nov 7-11 2016 | 447 | 468 | 217 | 256 |
| Dec 5-9 2016 | 445 | 463 | 219 | 257 |
| Jan 2-6 2017 | 436 | 465 | 218 | 255 |
| Jan 30-Feb 3 2017 | 439 | 482 | 236 | 270 |
| Feb 27-Mar 03 2017 | 440 | 502 | 246 | 279 |
| Mar 27-31 2017 | 441 | 508 | 248 | 279 |
| Apr 24-28 2017 | 437 | 509 | 247 | 280 |
| May 22-26 2017 | 436 | 503 | 249 | 280 |
| Jun 19-23 2017 | 435 | 497 | 243 | 273 |
Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com
Follow Russ Quinn on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN
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