Major Retail Fertilizer Prices Continue Mixed for Third Week of October

OMAHA (DTN) — Average retail prices for the major fertilizers were mixed again during the third week of October 2024, according to sellers surveyed by DTN.  

A week after prices were evenly split with four higher and four lower, prices for five of the eight major fertilizers were higher compared to last month. No fertilizer had a noticeable price increase or decline. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

Of the fertilizers that were higher in price, DAP had an average price of $740 per ton, urea $500/ton, 10-34-0 $604/ton, anhydrous $705/ton and UAN32 $361/ton.

Urea was back above the $500/ton level for the first time since the second week of August 2024. That week, the price was also $500/ton.

Three fertilizers were slightly less expensive than a month ago. MAP had an average price of $808/ton, potash $452/ton and UAN28 $316/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was $0.54/lb.N, anhydrous $0.43/lb.N, UAN28 $0.57/lb.N and UAN32 $0.57/lb.N.

Rainfall from Hurricane Milton caused a water collection system to breach at the Tampa, Florida-based Mosaic facility in Riverview, likely spilling an unknown amount of polluted water into Tampa Bay, according to the Tampa Bay Times (https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2024/10/14/polluted-water-mosaic-phosphate-plant-likely-spilled-tampa-bay-during-milton/).

Milton dropped nearly 15 inches of rain during the storm, which overwhelmed the facility’s system that is designed to collect water from phosphogypsum, a phosphate waste that contains radium. Officials at the company believe that stormwater entered a drainage outfall that empties into Tampa Bay.

The company said it expects water quality issues to be “modest,” according to the article.

Florida environmental regulators were on site collecting water samples after the hurricane, according to Florida Department of Environmental Protection spokesperson Alexandra Kuchta.

All fertilizer prices expect two are lower compared to one year ago. MAP is 1% higher, while DAP is 4% more expensive looking back to last year.

The remaining six fertilizers are lower. 10-34-0 is 1% lower, potash is 11% less expensive, UAN28 is 12% lower, both urea and UAN32 are 13% less expensive and anhydrous is 15% lower compared to last year.

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/agriculture/web/ag/markets/fuels-fertilizers#!/fertilizers.

Researchers at Kansas State University found soil treated with manure stores more carbon than soil treated with either no fertilizer or a chemical-based fertilizer. You can read about it here: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/crops/article/2024/10/23/half-major-retail-fertilizer-prices.

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

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