By Russ Quinn
DTN Staff Reporter
OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices continued to fall during the fourth week of September 2017, with two exceptions, according to sellers tracked by DTN. For the second straight week, two fertilizers are showing higher prices compared to a month ago.
Six of the eight major fertilizers were lower, compared to last month. Anhydrous is 5% lower than last month with an average price of $396/ton.
The sub $400/ton price for anhydrous is a historically lower range for the DTN retail price data set, which began in November 2008. The last time prices were under $400/ton was the second week of August 2010 -- seven years ago.
The remaining five fertilizers posted lower prices, but their moves were fairly insignificant. DAP had an average price of $432/ton, MAP $453/ton, 10-34-0 $413/ton, UAN8 $208/ton, and UAN32 $243/ton.
Two fertilizers posted higher prices than the previous month. Urea is 6% higher compared to the previous month, with an average price of $321/ton. Potash was just slightly higher and had an average price of $348/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.35/lb.N, anhydrous $0.24/lb.N, UAN28 $0.37/lb.N and UAN32 $0.38/lb.N.
Harvest has begun in west-central Ohio, according to Mitch Bambauer of Bambauer Fertilizer and Seed, Inc., in New Knoxville, Ohio. Yields appear to be variable with some of the better-drained soils average to above average, while some of the poorer soils are slightly below average.
Fall fertilizer application season has begun and good field conditions could help them cover more acres this fall, he said.
"Fertilizer is going on as normal here," Bambauer told DTN. "Over half of our phosphorus (p) and potash (k) will go on in the fall while there is no fall nitrogen (application) in the fall in Ohio."
Bambauer expects the fall fertilizer season to be fairly normal in terms of fertilizer demand from his customers, despite lower commodity prices. Short of inclement weather hampering application, the season should be similar to past fall application seasons, he said.
All fertilizers but one have lower retail prices compared to a year earlier. Three of the eight major fertilizer prices are double-digits lower.
Anhydrous is now 19% lower from a year ago, while 10-34-0 is 11% cheaper and UAN32 is 10% lower. UAN28 is 7% less expensive, DAP is down 2%, and both MAP and urea are 1% lower. The one fertilizer priced higher compared to last year is potash, up 10%.
DTN collects roughly 1,700 retail fertilizer bids from 310 retailer locations weekly. Not all fertilizer prices change each week. Prices are subject to change at any time.
DTN Pro Grains subscribers can find current retail fertilizer price in the DTN Fertilizer Index on the Fertilizer page under Farm Business.
Retail fertilizer charts dating back to 2010 are available in the DTN fertilizer segment. The charts included cost of N/lb., DAP, MAP, potash, urea, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32.
DTN's average of retail fertilizer prices from a month earlier ($ per ton):
| DRY |
| Date Range | DAP | MAP | POTASH | UREA |
| Sept 26-30 2016 | 440 | 458 | 317 | 322 |
| Oct 24-28 2016 | 436 | 451 | 313 | 317 |
| Nov 21-25 2016 | 436 | 445 | 316 | 328 |
| Dec 19-23 2016 | 432 | 437 | 321 | 336 |
| Jan 16-20 2017 | 430 | 443 | 324 | 346 |
| Feb 13-17 2017 | 432 | 450 | 332 | 357 |
| Mar 13-17 2017 | 443 | 462 | 337 | 360 |
| Apr 10-13 2017 | 437 | 466 | 338 | 353 |
| May 8-12 2017 | 437 | 466 | 340 | 351 |
| Jun 5-9 2017 | 438 | 469 | 339 | 338 |
| Jul 3-7 2017 | 436 | 467 | 339 | 325 |
| Jul 31-Aug 4 2017 | 434 | 463 | 339 | 311 |
| Aug 28-Sept 1 2017 | 433 | 457 | 338 | 303 |
| Sep 15-29 2017 | 432 | 453 | 348 | 321 |
| Liquid |
| Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
| Sept 26-30 2016 | 465 | 486 | 223 | 271 |
| Oct 24-28 2016 | 452 | 472 | 224 | 262 |
| Nov 21-25 2016 | 445 | 465 | 218 | 256 |
| Dec 19-23 2016 | 442 | 468 | 217 | 255 |
| Jan 16-20 2017 | 437 | 478 | 235 | 267 |
| Feb 13-17 2017 | 440 | 491 | 240 | 276 |
| Mar 13-17 2017 | 441 | 507 | 247 | 280 |
| Apr 10-13 2017 | 441 | 505 | 247 | 280 |
| May 8-12 2017 | 437 | 508 | 247 | 280 |
| Jun 5-9 2017 | 435 | 503 | 246 | 278 |
| Jul 3-7 2017 | 432 | 462 | 236 | 268 |
| Jul 31-Aug 4 2017 | 426 | 418 | 227 | 262 |
| Aug 28-Sept 1 2017 | 418 | 417 | 215 | 248 |
| Sep 15-29 2017 | 413 | 396 | 208 | 243 |
Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com
Follow Russ Quinn on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN
(ES/CZ)
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