News & Resources

DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

17 Jan 2024

OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the second week of January 2024 continue to show mostly declines compared to last month.

For the third consecutive week, six of the eight major fertilizers were lower in price compared to last month, while the remaining two fertilizers were slightly higher. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

Only two fertilizers had notable price changes compared to last month. Anhydrous was down 9% compared to last month at an average price of $776/ton. UAN32 was 5% less expensive at an average price of $391/ton.

The remaining four fertilizers were down just slightly from the prior month. MAP had an average price of $807/ton, potash $510/ton, urea $526/ton and UAN28 $336/ton.

Two fertilizers, meanwhile, were just slightly higher in price compared to last month. DAP had an average price of $726/ton and 10-34-0 $600/ton.

Starter fertilizer, 10-34-0, is back at the $600/ton level for the first time since the second week of November 2023. That week the price was $613/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.57/lb.N, anhydrous $0.47/lb.N, UAN28 $0.60/lb.N and UAN32 $0.61/lb.N.

A Saskatchewan-based business is developing a "living lab" to learn about using prairie biomass to generate heat for industry, according to an article at sasktoday.ca. This project is targeted at the potash industry, aiming to use locally produced flax straw to generate low carbon bioheat, thus reducing the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) produced by potash mine sites.

Saskatchewan Polytech, working with Prairie Clean Energy, will explore this possibility at an agricultural site near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. The project will draw on a $1.1 million (Canadian dollars) grant that Prairie Clean Energy received from the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA) Network for its GHG emissions reduction project.

"Agricultural waste like flax straw would normally be burned in fields," said Dr. Robin Smith, Saskatchewan Polytechnic director. "Processing flax straw into low-carbon pellets for biomass boilers exemplifies principles of the circular economy: reusing, recycling, and upcycling of materials and resources to minimize waste and promote sustainability."

The primary objective of this project is to assist Saskatchewan's mining sector in adopting biomass as a sustainable heating source for large buildings. It aims to provide a demonstration of biomass boiler operation and establish a platform for educational and learning experiences within the industry, according to the article.

All fertilizer prices except one are now lower by double-digits compared to one year ago. MAP is 8% lower, DAP is 16% less expensive, 10-34-0 is 20% lower, urea is 28% less expensive, potash is 31% lower, anhydrous is 38% less expensive and both UAN28 and UAN32 are 40% lower compared to a 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/….

A recent report showed significant progress is being made in limiting fertilizer runoff into the Gulf of Mexico, according to a press release from The Fertilizer Institute. You can read about it here: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

DRY
Date Range DAP MAP POTASH UREA

Jan 9-Jan 13 2023

868

875

742

732

Feb 6-Feb 10 2023

840

857

694

693

Mar 6-Mar 10 2023

825

823

657

643

Apr 3-7 2023

818

809

642

625

May 1-5 2023

826

805

623

599

May 29-Jun 2 2023

824

832

620

622

June 26-30 2023

825

829

620

616

July 24-28 2023

795

791

594

581

Aug 21-25 2023

735

764

557

575

Sep 18-22 2023

702

757

501

566

Oct 16-20 2023

709

791

504

574

Nov 13-27 2023

717

811

511

574

Dec 11-15 2023

713

819

517

540

Jan 8-12 2024

726

807

510

526

LIQUID
Date Range 10-34-0 ANHYD UAN28 UAN32

Jan 9-Jan 13 2023

754

1245

563

650

Feb 6-Feb 10 2023

755

1220

499

579

Mar 6-Mar 10 2023

740

1059

436

522

Apr 3-7 2023

740

1002

423

507

May 1-5 2023

739

926

424

507

May 29-Jun 2 2023

739

791

413

478

June 26-30 2023

731

753

396

468

July 24-28 2023

715

691

383

442

Aug 21-25 2023

698

622

355

399

Sep 18-22 2023

610

763

352

405

Oct 16-20 2023

612

809

356

418

Nov 13-27 2023

613

843

361

415

Dec 11-15 2023

595

851

339

409

Jan 8-12 2024

600

776

336

391

Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com

Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @RussQuinnDTN