Urea, Anhydrous Lead All Eight Retail Fertilizer Prices Lower at End of June

OMAHA (DTN) — Average retail prices for all eight fertilizers were down from last month during the fourth week of June 2024, according to sellers surveyed by DTN.

Two fertilizers had substantial price drops from last month, which DTN designates as anything 5% or more. Anhydrous was 7% less expensive compared to last month with an average retail price of $705 per ton. Urea was down 6% from last month with an average price of $506 per ton.

Prices for the remaining six fertilizers were down just slightly from last month. DAP had an average price of $760 per ton, MAP $821/ton, potash $506/ton, 10-34-0 $642/ton, UAN28 $345/ton and UAN32 $389/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was $0.55/lb.N, anhydrous $0.43/lb.N, UAN28 $0.62/lb.N and UAN32 $0.61/lb.N.

Egyptian nitrogen producer Abu Qir will resume urea production following the restoration of its natural gas supply, Argus Media reported. The country’s nitrogen fertilizer manufacturers stopped production toward the end of last month without a steady supply of natural gas.

Abu Qir announced the gradual restart of its plants. The company’s granular and prilled urea plants, which have the capacity of 650,000 metric tons (mt) per year and 580,000 mt per year, respectively, stopped production on June 24.

A natural supply crunch in Egypt in recent weeks has shuttered urea production. Production has been affected since May 20 as the country prioritized gas flow to power plants to meet cooling demand in the summer months. 

Egyptian urea suppliers Kima, NCIC, Helwan and Mopco told Argus Media that there has been no change to the status of their production, with all output idled through last week.

All fertilizers are lower compared to one year ago. MAP is 1% lower, anhydrous is 6% less expensive, DAP is 8% lower, 10-34-0 is 12% less expensive, UAN28 are 13% less expensive, UAN32 is 17% lower, urea is 18% less expensive and potash are 19% less expensive compared to a year prior.

DTN gathers weekly fertilizer price bids from agriculture retailers 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.

A new product that coats dry fertilizer in a single application is touting an increase in productivity, according to a recent article. You can read about it here: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/crops/article/2024/06/19/anhydrous-urea-lead-fertilizer-lower.

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

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