OMAHA (DTN) -- According to retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the third week of April 2018, prices continue to be mostly on the higher side. However, there are signs that perhaps this is finally changing.

For the first time in several months, multiple fertilizers were actually lower in price compared to the month before. Both MAP and urea had slightly lower prices with MAP having an average price of $502/ton and urea $368/ton.

The remaining six fertilizers were again higher compared to last month, but these moves were small. DAP had an average price of $484/ton, potash $353/ton, 10-34-0 $431/ton, anhydrous $508/ton, UAN28 $240/ton and UAN32 $275/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.43/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.

With a delay in fieldwork due to a cold and damp spring in many Midwestern locations, one has to wonder if farmers will shift to other forms of nitrogen if the nutrient hasn't already been applied.

Jeremy Olson, an agronomist with Pederson Seed and Service located in Hiawatha, Kansas, told DTN that most farmers in northeastern Kansas got at least some of their nitrogen applied last fall, thanks to cooperative weather after harvest. Because of this, there should not be much changing in regards to nitrogen, he said.

"Some of our acres, maybe 10% to 15% of the acres, got spring anhydrous application," Olson told DTN. "It would have been tough to get much (anhydrous) on this spring."

Olson said they are doing some experimenting with ESN Smart Nitrogen (urea granule contained within a polymer coating) and/or urea mixes behind the planters as a supplemental source of nitrogen. This would mainly be on high yielding fields, which would be utilizing nitrogen modeling, he said.

Some farmers in his region delayed phosphorus (P) and potash (K) applications this winter and didn't make those decisions until late January into February. He was still busy sending out variable P and K maps to his customers up to the last couple of weeks.

"I think that is purely a function of cash flow," he said.

Half of the major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year, with prices pushing higher in recent months. Both potash and urea are now 4% more expensive; MAP is 8% more expensive; and DAP is 11% higher compared to last year.

The remaining four fertilizers are lower in price compared to a year ago. Both 10-34-0 and anhydrous are 1% less expensive, while UAN32 is 2% lower and UAN28 is 3% less expensive looking back a year.

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.

DTN's average of retail fertilizer prices from a month earlier ($ per ton):

DRY
Date Range	DAP	MAP	POTASH	UREA
Apr 17-21 2017	438	466	339	352
May 15-19 2017	437	471	340	350
Jun 12-16 2017	437	470	341	338
Jul 10-14 2017	436	467	340	321
Aug 7-11 2017	434	462	339	311
Sep 4-8 2017	431	458	338	302
Oct 2-6 2017	425	453	348	323
Oct 27-Nov 3 2017	434	455	348	330
Nov 27-Dec 1 2017	435	460	342	340
Dec 25-29 2017	448	488	344	348
Jan 22-26 2018	458	492	344	353
Feb 19-23 2018	460	496	345	357
Mar 19-23 2018	469	504	349	368
Apr 16-20 2018	484	502	353	368
Liquid
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
Apr 17-21 2017	437	509	247	280
May 15-19 2017	436	510	248	283
Jun 12-16 2017	435	500	246	278
Jul 10-14 2017	431	451	235	268
Aug 7-11 2017	440	419	224	258
Sep 4-8 2017	418	413	215	248
Oct 2-6 2017	413	399	208	243
Oct 27-Nov 3 2017	405	401	208	262
Nov 27-Dec 1 2017	403	417	216	271
Dec 25-29 2017	407	468	216	254
Jan 22-26 2018	415	490	226	261
Feb 19-23 2018	416	495	231	265
Mar 19-23 2018	422	503	236	269
Apr 16-20 2018	431	508	240	275

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

Follow Russ Quinn on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

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