By Russ Quinn
DTN Staff Reporter
OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices were mostly higher in the first week of April 2020, according to prices tracked by DTN. However, prices remain in a familiar range from slightly lower to slighty higher.
Six fertilizers were higher in price compared to last month with none of the six up a significant amount, which DTN considers a price move of 5% or more. Urea had a $14/ton price increase compared to the same time last month, the largest jump of the eight major fertilizers tracked by DTN. Its average price was $383/ton.
Potash has an average price of $370/ton, up $1; 10-34-0 $467/ton, up $1; anhydrous $492/ton, up $2; UAN28 $235/ton, up fractionally; and UAN32 $278/ton, up $1.
The remaining two fertilizers had lower prices compared to a month earlier. Just like the higher priced fertilizer, these fertilizers did not have any large price movement. DAP had an average price of $408/ton, up $1, while MAP was $432/ton, down fractionally.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.42/lb.N, anhydrous $0.30/lb.N, UAN28 $0.42/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.
Despite the recent COVID-19 news and the rapid downward movement in agricultural commodity markets, there are some positive signs in the fertilizer industry. Dow Jones reported last week Harvest Minerals Ltd. said it expects fertilizer demand to increase in 2020.
The South American fertilizer producer forecasted demand to rise about 3% this year. The move comes as Brazilian producers benefit from a weaker local currency, which also makes it more expensive to import fertilizers from abroad.
The company said orders at the end of January more than doubled compared to the previous year. To date, most of the COVID-19 cases in Brazil are in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with no cases reported near the firm's Arapua manufacturing site, according to Harvest Minerals.
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, UAN28 is 14% less expensive, UAN32 is 13% lower, urea is 5% less expensive, potash is 4% lower and 10-34-0 is 2% less expensive 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 |
| Apr 1-5 2019 | 509 | 533 | 386 | 405 |
| Apr 29-May 3 2019 | 498 | 528 | 390 | 413 |
| May 27-31 2019 | 497 | 527 | 392 | 430 |
| Jun 24-28, 2019 | 495 | 531 | 392 | 429 |
| Jul 22-26 2019 | 495 | 531 | 394 | 430 |
| Aug 19-23 2019 | 491 | 495 | 387 | 413 |
| Sep 16-20 2019 | 480 | 478 | 384 | 404 |
| Oct 14-18, 2019 | 465 | 472 | 382 | 402 |
| Nov 11-15 2019 | 457 | 465 | 382 | 388 |
| Dec 9-13 2019 | 445 | 463 | 378 | 380 |
| Jan 6-10 2020 | 435 | 444 | 375 | 358 |
| Feb 3-7 2020 | 413 | 435 | 373 | 361 |
| Mar 2-6 2020 | 409 | 432 | 369 | 369 |
| Mar 30-Apr 3 2020 | 408 | 432 | 370 | 383 |
| Liquid |
| Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
| Apr 1-5 2019 | 474 | 599 | 272 | 319 |
| Apr 29-May 3 2019 | 487 | 595 | 268 | 315 |
| May 27-31 2019 | 487 | 590 | 270 | 314 |
| Jun 24-28, 2019 | 487 | 584 | 269 | 318 |
| Jul 22-26 2019 | 485 | 582 | 272 | 320 |
| Aug 19-23 2019 | 475 | 530 | 257 | 291 |
| Sep 16-20 2019 | 471 | 509 | 254 | 289 |
| Oct 14-18, 2019 | 471 | 507 | 253 | 289 |
| Nov 11-15 2019 | 473 | 496 | 246 | 284 |
| Dec 9-13 2019 | 470 | 489 | 241 | 276 |
| Jan 6-10 2020 | 471 | 486 | 237 | 272 |
| Feb 3-7 2020 | 464 | 490 | 235 | 277 |
| Mar 2-6 2020 | 466 | 490 | 235 | 277 |
| Mar 30-Apr 3 2020 | 467 | 492 | 235 | 278 |
Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN
(KD/SK)
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