By Russ Quinn
DTN Staff Reporter
OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices continue to be mostly lower, according to prices tracked by DTN for the fourth week of February 2020.
Just like last week, five fertilizers were lower in price compared to last month, but none were down a considerable amount. DAP had an average price of $409 per ton, MAP $434/ton, potash $371/ton, 10-34-0 $466/ton and UAN28 $235/ton.
The remaining three fertilizers had a minor price increase, looking back to last month. Urea had an average price of $366/ton, anhydrous $490/ton and UAN32 $277/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/lb.N, anhydrous $0.30/lb.N, UAN28 $0.42/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.
With the calendar turning over to March, farmers are finishing up their fertilizer plans for the rapidly approaching spring planting season. For some, their plans started last fall.
Jamin Ringger, a farmer from Gridley, Illinois, was able to apply MAP and lime last fall after the fall harvest in a window of time that was fairly open. In addition, hog manure was also applied.
"We did get a little manure on in the fall and some went on this winter," Ringger told DTN. "We will have to do quite a bit once it dries out in the spring as well."
Supplement nitrogen in the form of UAN28 will also be applied in the spring, he said.
Further west, Joshua Kayser, who farms near Emery, South Dakota, is hoping for a drier growing season in 2020. His area of southeastern South Dakota saw thousands of prevented planting acres last growing season because of too much moisture.
As a result, fertilizer demand in his region could be lessened some. Kayser said he spread a majority of his phosphorus (P) and potash (K) needs last fall, with some done the prior year but not used because of prevented planting.
"We booked our spring urea needs shortly after the first of the year, which was a bit later for us, but with a saturated (soil) profile we weren't rushed," Kayser said.
This spring brings the hopeful outlook of drier planting conditions compared to a year ago. A large portion of the snowpack in the state is melting and some fields are already bare, he said.
A mild March is still needed to have somewhat normal plantings. Kayser estimated as of now they will still have 10% to 15% of their acres in prevented planting again for 2020 because of water issues.
Retail fertilizers are now all lower in price from a year ago. DAP is 20% lower, MAP is 19% less expensive, anhydrous is 18% lower, both UAN28 and UAN32 are 13% less expensive, urea is 9% lower, potash is 4% less expensive and 10-34-0 is 1% lower from last year at this time.
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 |
| Feb 25-Mar 01 2019 | 511 | 535 | 386 | 404 |
| Mar 25-29 2019 | 509 | 534 | 385 | 401 |
| Apr 22-26 2019 | 497 | 530 | 388 | 408 |
| May 20-24 2019 | 497 | 527 | 392 | 428 |
| Jun 17-21 2019 | 496 | 532 | 392 | 435 |
| Jul 15-19, 2019 | 497 | 532 | 392 | 430 |
| Aug 12-16 2019 | 493 | 503 | 387 | 413 |
| Sep 9-13 2019 | 486 | 482 | 385 | 407 |
| Oct 7-11, 2019 | 472 | 473 | 383 | 403 |
| Nov 4-8 2019 | 462 | 471 | 384 | 396 |
| Dec 2-6 2019 | 445 | 463 | 379 | 381 |
| Dec 30-Jan 3 2020 | 438 | 446 | 376 | 363 |
| Jan 27-31 2020 | 414 | 435 | 373 | 359 |
| Feb 24-28 2020 | 409 | 434 | 371 | 366 |
| LIQUID |
| Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
| Feb 25-Mar 01 2019 | 470 | 596 | 270 | 318 |
| Mar 25-29 2019 | 470 | 597 | 269 | 318 |
| Apr 22-26 2019 | 483 | 594 | 268 | 315 |
| May 20-24 2019 | 487 | 595 | 270 | 314 |
| Jun 17-21 2019 | 487 | 589 | 270 | 318 |
| Jul 15-19, 2019 | 485 | 585 | 275 | 317 |
| Aug 12-16 2019 | 475 | 543 | 258 | 295 |
| Sep 9-13 2019 | 471 | 516 | 253 | 289 |
| Oct 7-11, 2019 | 470 | 509 | 253 | 289 |
| Nov 4-8 2019 | 473 | 499 | 249 | 289 |
| Dec 2-6 2019 | 470 | 490 | 242 | 276 |
| Dec 30-Jan 3 2020 | 470 | 487 | 238 | 273 |
| Jan 27-31 2020 | 467 | 488 | 237 | 275 |
| Feb 24-28 2020 | 466 | 490 | 235 | 277 |
Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN
(SK/BAS)
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