By Russ Quinn
DTN Staff Reporter
OMAHA (DTN) -- Average retail prices for most fertilizers were lower again the fourth week of August 2017 compared to the previous month, according to fertilizer retailers surveyed by DTN.
Prices for seven of the eight major fertilizers were lower compared to last month, though only two were down significantly. UAN32 was 7% lower compared to the previous month and had an average price of $248 per ton. UAN28 was also lower, down 6% compared to last month. UAN28 had an average price of $216/ton.
The remaining five fertilizers were just slightly lower in price compared to last month. MAP had an average price of $458/ton, potash $338/ton, urea $304/ton, 10-34-0 $419/ton and anhydrous $417/ton.
One fertilizer was unchanged in price compared to a month ago. DAP had an average price of $434 per ton, the same as the fourth week of July 2017.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.33/lb.N, anhydrous $0.25/lb.N, UAN28 $0.38/lb.N and UAN32 $0.39/lb.N.
In the Fertilizer Update on the Hefty Seed Company's Equipment and Fertilizer Gazette electronic newsletter, author Rob Fritz said fall fertilizer prices should be coming out soon for the company, and it appears prices will be lower.
"From all indicators, it looks like fertilizer will be lower and possibly much lower than last season," Fritz wrote. "We already have $0.25/lb nitrogen in the urea form we can get today, and that is much lower than last year."
These lower prices in urea should encourage other forms of nitrogen to drop in price, as well. Fritz wrote that this should put pressure on the liquid nitrogen, so large price drops could be seen with this form of nitrogen.
While there hasn't been much price movement with phosphorus (P) and potash (K), lower prices could also be on the way for these nutrients, he wrote.
"P and K pricing is flat at this time, but we do suspect that we will see lower fill prices," he wrote.
All but one retail fertilizer are lower compared to a year earlier. Three of the eight major fertilizers are double digits lower.
Anhydrous is now 19% lower from a year ago while 10-34-0 is 17% less expensive and UAN32 is 11% lower. Both urea and UAN28 are 8% less expensive, DAP is 4% lower and MAP is 2%. The one fertilizer higher compared to last year is potash, which is now 2% more expensive.
DTN collects roughly 1,700 retail fertilizer bids from 310 retailer locations weekly. Not all fertilizer prices change each week. Prices are subject to change at any time.
DTN Pro Grains subscribers can find current retail fertilizer price in the DTN Fertilizer Index on the Fertilizer page under Farm Business.
Retail fertilizer charts dating back to 2010 are available in the DTN fertilizer segment. The charts included cost of N/lb., DAP, MAP, potash, urea, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32.
DTN's average of retail fertilizer prices from a month earlier ($ per ton):
| DRY |
| Date Range | DAP | MAP | POTASH | UREA |
| Aug 22-26 2016 | 451 | 468 | 330 | 330 |
| Sept 19-23 2016 | 443 | 453 | 319 | 323 |
| Oct 17-21 2016 | 436 | 452 | 313 | 317 |
| Nov 14-18 2016 | 436 | 445 | 315 | 327 |
| Dec 12-16 2016 | 433 | 443 | 320 | 333 |
| Jan 9-13 2017 | 432 | 441 | 320 | 338 |
| Feb 6-10 2017 | 431 | 448 | 330 | 354 |
| Mar 03-10 2017 | 436 | 460 | 336 | 361 |
| Apr 3-7 2017 | 438 | 466 | 338 | 354 |
| May 1-5 2017 | 436 | 466 | 339 | 351 |
| May 29-Jun 2 2017 | 436 | 471 | 340 | 339 |
| Jun 26-30 2017 | 437 | 470 | 340 | 333 |
| Jul 24-28 2017 | 434 | 462 | 338 | 308 |
| Aug 21-25 2017 | 434 | 458 | 338 | 304 |
| LIQUID |
| Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
| Aug 22-26 2016 | 502 | 515 | 234 | 280 |
| Sept 19-23 2016 | 470 | 494 | 225 | 271 |
| Oct 17-21 2016 | 453 | 475 | 224 | 265 |
| Nov 14-18 2016 | 445 | 466 | 219 | 256 |
| Dec 12-16 2016 | 444 | 463 | 219 | 257 |
| Jan 9-13 2017 | 437 | 467 | 222 | 258 |
| Feb 6-10 2017 | 440 | 485 | 238 | 273 |
| Mar 03-10 2017 | 441 | 503 | 246 | 279 |
| Apr 3-7 2017 | 441 | 505 | 248 | 280 |
| May 1-5 2017 | 436 | 508 | 247 | 280 |
| May 29-Jun 2 2017 | 436 | 503 | 248 | 280 |
| Jun 26-30 2017 | 435 | 484 | 238 | 268 |
| Jul 24-28 2017 | 425 | 423 | 229 | 265 |
| Aug 21-25 2017 | 419 | 417 | 216 | 248 |
Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com
Follow Russ Quinn on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN
(AG/BAS)
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