10-34-0 Prices Up 12% From End of February
Other major fertilizers stay relatively stable.
OMAHA (DTN) — Retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the fifth week of March 2011 continue to show 10-34-0 is still on the rise while the other major fertilizer prices continue on their stable path.
The starter fertilizer gained 12 percent compared to the fourth week of February and averaged $750/ton.
DAP, MAP, potash, urea, anhydrous and UAN28 were all up just slightly compared to a month earlier. DAP averaged $679/ton, MAP $701/ton, potash $593/ton, urea $493/ton, anhydrous $745/ton and UAN28 $370/ton.
One fertilizer, UAN32, was just slightly lower compared to the fourth week of February. UAN32 had an average retail price of $419/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.54/lb.N, anhydrous $0.45/lb.N, UAN28 $0.66/lb.N and UAN32 $0.65/lb.N.
Machelle Shouse, general manager of the Farmers Cooperative Association, Inc., in Columbus, Kan., said fertilizer prices have remained fairly stable in recent weeks, with the one exception being 10-34-0.
“While we don’t handle starter, we are in a marketing group with about 10 other cooperatives, mainly from central Kansas, and they have been talking about this a lot,” Shouse said. “There seems to be a shortage of starter this spring as corn planting starts.” Manufacturers blame tight supplies of an acid used to manufacture 10-34-0, other retailers told DTN.
Shouse said corn planting season in extreme southeastern Kansas has already started. Many farmers in Cherokee County started planting corn last week.
Farmers had a three-day window last week to plant corn before heavy rains pushed them out of the fields, she said. Some of this corn may have to be replanted as the region has had plenty of moisture this winter and early spring, unlike more western locales in the Sunflower State.
“If anything, we have too much moisture so far,” Shouse said. “Central Kansas seems to be okay with moisture but you get west of Wichita and it is really dry out there.”
All eight major fertilizers are now showing double digit increases in price compared to one year earlier. Leading the way higher is 10-34-0. The starter fertilizer has skyrocketed in recent weeks and is now 90 percent higher compared to the fourth week of March 2010.
Compared to a year ago, anhydrous has climbed 59 percent, UAN32 47 percent and UAN28 42 percent. MAP is 39 percent higher, DAP 38 percent and both urea and potash are 18 percent higher than one year earlier.
DTN Pro Grains subscribers can find current retail fertilizer prices by location on the Fertilizer page under Farm Business.
DTN collects fertilizer prices from nearly 150 retailer locations weekly. Not all fertilizer prices change each week. Prices are subject to change at any time.
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Posted with DTN Permission by Haylie Shipp
