DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

MT. JULIET, Tenn. (DTN) -- The retail prices of all eight major fertilizers climbed higher in the second week of October, with anhydrous, MAP and UAN32 posting the largest gains.

DTN polls retail fertilizer sellers each week to compile price estimates and considers a price change of 5% or more to be significant.

Anhydrous prices climbed 16% on average to $804 per ton. MAP and UAN32 each climbed by 7% to $794/ton and $418/ton, respectively.

The prices of the remaining five fertilizers were all higher than last month, but less significantly. DAP cost an average of $711/ton; potash, $506/ton; urea, $575; 10-34-0, $613/ton; and UAN28, $356/ton.

On a price per ton on a nitrogen basis, the average urea price was $0.63/lb.N, anhydrous $0.49/lb.N, UAN28 $0.64/lb.N and UAN32 $0.65/lb.N.

Ammonia prices firmed in September, capping off a year of near-record sales for fertilizer producers, wrote Logan Garcia, market reporter for Fertecon, S&P Global Commodity Insights, in the DTN Fertilizer Outlook. Several plants, including OCI's site in Weaver, Iowa, are down, contributing to tighter supplies.

"Transportation lines in the U.S. remain constrained in September due to low water in the Mississippi River, as well as short supplies of railcars and truck availability," he said. "Tight supplies as well as expectations for a good fall application period show a firmer picture for U.S. ammonia prices in the short term."

Yara and Mosaic agreed to a monthly contract price at Tampa of $575 per metric ton that includes freight costs for October. That's up significantly from $390/metric ton last month. Garcia also reports that eastern Oklahoma wholesale prices increased at the end of the month to around $700 per ton, up about $200 from late August.

You can read his full report, which includes details on phosphates, urea and potash, here: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

All fertilizers are now lower by double digits compared to one year ago. 10-34-0 is 19% lower; MAP is 20% less expensive; DAP is down 23%; urea is 30% less costly, both UAN28 and UAN32 are 38% lower, potash is 42% less expensive and anhydrous is 43% cheaper than the year prior.

DTN gathers fertilizer price bids from agriculture retailers each week to compile the DTN Fertilizer Index. DTN first began reporting data in November 2008.

In addition to national averages, MyDTN subscribers can access the full DTN Fertilizer Index, which includes state averages, here: https://www.mydtn.com/….

Last week, Russ Quinn gave an update on a new fertilizer facility under construction in Grand Island, Nebraska. You can read about it here: https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Katie Dehlinger can be reached at katie.dehlinger@dtn.com

Or you can follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @KatieD_DTN

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