By Russ Quinn
DTN Staff Reporter
OMAHA (DTN) -- A majority of retail fertilizer prices are lower for the second week in a row, according to data tracked by DTN for the last week of April 2019.
Like last week, prices of five of the eight major fertilizers were lower compared to last month.
The move has been fairly muted, however. DAP had an average price of $498/ton, down $11, while MAP was $528/ton, down $5. The price of three fertilizers dropped by an average of $4/ton: anhydrous to $595/ton, UAN28 to $268/ton, and UAN32 to $315/ton.
The remaining three fertilizers were higher compared to the prior month, but again the move was fairly inconsequential. Potash had an average price of $390/ton, up $4; urea $413/ton, up $8; and 10-34-0 $487/ton, up $13/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.45/lb.N, anhydrous $0.36/lb.N, UAN28 $0.48/lb.N and UAN32 $0.49/lb.N.
DTN conducted an online poll from April 22 to May 6 asking:
"Much of the Corn Belt's farmers are busy applying fertilizer. What best describes your fertilizer situation?"
Seventy percent of the 263 respondents selected: "I have had no issues buying fertilizer this spring."
"I have not started to buy fertilizer" was the next most popular choice with 16%.
Seven percent chose "my retailer has run out of fertilizer," while 4% said "there are some long line-ups of other buyers at my fertilizer retailer" and 3% said "it's been easier than normal to get fertilizer.
The online poll shows that a majority of Corn Belt farmers were able to get and apply fertilizer this spring. There were, however, issues with obtaining fertilizer and having cooperative weather to apply the fertilizer in some regions.
Breaking the results down to the state level also reveals some interesting trends.
Out of the six states with double-digit responses, farmers in Nebraska, Iowa and North Dakota reported the most shortages of fertilizer, with 15%, 13% and 10% choosing "my fertilizer retailer has run of fertilizer," respectively.
The state with the highest number of farmers reporting long line-ups of buyers was Iowa t 9%, followed by Minnesota at 6% and both Illinois and Nebraska at 5%.
The only state to have any respondents select "It's been easier than normal to get fertilizer" was Illinois with 4%.
The states with the highest percentage of farmers selecting "I have not started to buy fertilizer" were mainly northern states where winter has held on long this spring. South Dakota had the highest tally at 41%, followed by Minnesota at 31%, North Dakota at 30% and Nebraska at 10%.
All eight of the major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year. MAP is 3% more expensive, DAP is 5% higher, potash is 10% more expensive, UAN28 is 11% higher, urea is 12% more expensive, 10-34-0 is 13% higher, UAN32 is 14% more expensive and anhydrous is 17% higher compared to last year.
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.
| DRY |
| Date Range | DAP | MAP | POTASH | UREA |
| Apr 30-May 4 2018 | 485 | 505 | 353 | 368 |
| May 28-June 1 2018 | 483 | 504 | 354 | 364 |
| Jun 25-29 2018 | 485 | 505 | 354 | 364 |
| Jul 23-27 2018 | 486 | 504 | 356 | 366 |
| Aug 20-24 2018 | 487 | 514 | 356 | 364 |
| Sep 17-21 2018 | 494 | 520 | 362 | 384 |
| Oct 15-19 2018 | 498 | 518 | 365 | 405 |
| Nov 12-16 2018 | 500 | 530 | 368 | 407 |
| Dec 10-14 2018 | 505 | 533 | 375 | 407 |
| Jan 7-11 2019 | 508 | 533 | 381 | 407 |
| Feb 4-8 2019 | 511 | 536 | 385 | 408 |
| Mar 4-8 2019 | 510 | 534 | 386 | 403 |
| Apr 1-5 2019 | 509 | 533 | 386 | 405 |
| Apr 29-May 3 2019 | 498 | 528 | 390 | 413 |
| Liquid |
| Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
| Apr 30-May 4 2018 | 431 | 510 | 241 | 277 |
| May 28-June 1 2018 | 439 | 504 | 241 | 276 |
| Jun 25-29 2018 | 440 | 504 | 242 | 277 |
| Jul 23-27 2018 | 442 | 501 | 243 | 279 |
| Aug 20-24 2018 | 446 | 481 | 233 | 271 |
| Sep 17-21 2018 | 448 | 494 | 239 | 278 |
| Oct 15-19 2018 | 457 | 494 | 243 | 283 |
| Nov 12-16 2018 | 457 | 519 | 245 | 287 |
| Dec 10-14 2018 | 455 | 552 | 261 | 302 |
| Jan 7-11 2019 | 461 | 573 | 267 | 304 |
| Feb 4-8 2019 | 470 | 596 | 271 | 318 |
| Mar 4-8 2019 | 470 | 596 | 270 | 317 |
| Apr 1-5 2019 | 474 | 599 | 272 | 319 |
| Apr 29-May 3 2019 | 487 | 595 | 268 | 315 |
Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN
(KD/BAS)
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