By Todd Neeley
DTN Staff Reporter
OMAHA (DTN) -- Four of the eight average retail fertilizer prices were higher, three were lower and one remained unchanged in the third week of October 2017 compared to one month earlier, according to fertilizer retailers surveyed by DTN.
Urea was up 9% compared to a month ago with an average price of $340 per ton. UAN32's average price increased by about 6% to $262/ton. The average prices for three other fertilizers were just slightly higher or unchanged. Potash and DAP were each up about 1%, at an average $348/ton and $432/ton, respectively. MAP remained unchanged at $452/ton.
The remaining average prices for three fertilizers were lower compared to last month. UAN28 saw a 3% drop in average price compared to last month, at $205/ton. Anhydrous and 10-34-0 each experienced a 1% drop compared to last month, at $397/ton and $413/ton, respectively.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.37/lb.N, anhydrous $0.24/lb.N, UAN28 $0.37/lb.N and UAN32 $0.41/lb.N.
Five of the eight major retail fertilizers are now lower compared to one year earlier. Only one of the five is double digits lower. Anhydrous is now 16% lower from a year ago, while 10-34-0 is 9% less expensive and UAN28 is 8% lower. UAN32 is 4% less expensive and DAP is 1% less expensive.
Three fertilizers are now higher compared to last year. MAP is less than 1% higher, urea is 7% higher and potash is now 11% more expensive.
DTN collects roughly 1,700 retail fertilizer bids from 310 retailer locations weekly. Not all fertilizer prices change each week. Prices are subject to change at any time.
DTN Pro Grains subscribers can find current retail fertilizer price in the DTN Fertilizer Index on the Fertilizer page under Farm Business.
Retail fertilizer charts dating back to 2010 are available in the DTN fertilizer segment. The charts included cost of N/lb., DAP, MAP, potash, urea, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32.
DTN's average of retail fertilizer prices from a month earlier ($ per ton):
| DRY |
| Date Range | DAP | MAP | POTASH | UREA |
| 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 |
| Sep 18-22 2017 | 429 | 452 | 345 | 312 |
| Oct 16-20 2017 | 432 | 452 | 348 | 340 |
| LIQUID |
| Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
| 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 |
| Sep 18-22 2017 | 416 | 402 | 211 | 248 |
| Oct 16-20 2017 | 413 | 397 | 205 | 262 |
Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @toddneeleyDTN
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