By Russ Quinn
DTN Staff Reporter
OMAHA (DTN) -- Most average retail fertilizer prices continued their slow but steady trek higher the second week of April 2018, according to retailers surveyed by DTN.
Snapping a string of four straight weeks where prices for all eight major fertilizers were higher, prices for seven of the eight fertilizers were up while the price of one fertilizer was down last week compared to the previous month. However, for the fourth consecutive week, none of the fertilizers that saw price increases were up by a significant amount.
DAP had an average price of $482 per ton, MAP $504/ton, potash $353/ton, urea $369/ton, anhydrous $510/ton, UAN28 $241/ton and UAN32 $275/ton.
The one fertilizer that was slightly lower in price compared to the previous month was 10-34-0. The starter fertilizer had an average price of $427 per ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.43/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.
The seemingly never-ending wintery weather so far this spring is delaying fieldwork in many regions of the Corn Belt. While some areas have seen some work completed, including some corn planting, other locations have seen farmers do only a limited amount of fieldwork.
Jamin Ringger, a corn, soybean and hog producer from Gridley, Illinois, told DTN that "warm weather can't come fast enough" for Midwest farmers who want to plant their spring crops but also do other fieldwork such as apply fertilizer and complete tillage operations.
As a livestock producer, Ringger also has to apply manure to his fields before planting can occur. A decent stretch of weather around March 15 allowed him to get manure applied to his central Illinois fields, he said.
While he utilizes hog manure on his fields for some nutrient needs, he also needs to use commercial fertilizer. With an open window after harvest, Ringger said he was able to apply most of his fertilizer needs last fall.
"I hope it warms up soon for everyone and we can enjoy spring a little," he said.
Five of the eight major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year with prices pushing higher in recent months. Anhydrous is now 1% higher, potash is 4% more expensive, urea is 5% higher, MAP is 8% more expensive and DAP is 10% higher compared to last year.
The remaining three fertilizers are lower in price compared to a year ago. UAN32 is 2% less expensive while both 10-34-0 and UAN28 are 3% less expensive than a year ago.
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 prices 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 |
| 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 |
| Oct 23-27 2017 | 431 | 453 | 347 | 325 |
| Nov 20-24 2017 | 435 | 460 | 342 | 338 |
| Dec 18-22 2017 | 445 | 485 | 344 | 348 |
| Jan 15-19 2018 | 456 | 491 | 345 | 355 |
| Feb 12-16 2018 | 457 | 495 | 345 | 357 |
| Mar 12-16 2018 | 466 | 503 | 350 | 368 |
| Apr 9-13 2018 | 482 | 504 | 353 | 369 |
| LIQUID |
| Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
| 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 |
| Oct 23-27 2017 | 407 | 393 | 205 | 262 |
| Nov 20-24 2017 | 403 | 410 | 216 | 272 |
| Dec 18-22 2017 | 405 | 461 | 218 | 254 |
| Jan 15-19 2018 | 407 | 485 | 226 | 260 |
| Feb 12-16 2018 | 415 | 492 | 230 | 264 |
| Mar 12-16 2018 | 421 | 503 | 237 | 282 |
| Apr 9-13 2018 | 427 | 510 | 241 | 275 |
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