OMAHA (DTN) -- Average retail fertilizer prices continued to move higher the first week of April 2021, albeit at a slower pace than in recent weeks, according to sellers surveyed by DTN. For the second week in a row, several fertilizers saw only a slight push higher.

While all eight of the major fertilizers were higher in price, only three fertilizers' prices continue to be significantly higher, which DTN designates as 5% or more.

Anhydrous and UAN28 are both 11% higher compared to last month. Anhydrous had an average price of $692 per ton while UAN28 is $341/ton.

Also considerably higher is UAN32, which was up 10% from the prior month. The liquid nitrogen's average price was $378/ton.

The remaining five fertilizers were higher once again but had price increases of 4% or less.

DAP had an average price of $618/ton, MAP $699/ton, potash $431/ton, urea $504/ton and 10-34-0 $605/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.55/lb.N, anhydrous $0.42/lb.N, UAN28 $0.61/lb.N and UAN32 $0.59/lb.N.

The rising retail fertilizer price environment has farmers wanting to be as efficient as possible when applying nutrients. A recent Penn State University (PSU) Extension article titled "Rising Fertilizer Prices Highlight Value of Soil Testing and Manure Nutrients" explores a couple ways to limit the impact of skyrocketing fertilizer prices.

Author Charles White, PSU assistant professor of soil fertility and nutrient management, wrote that soil testing is the traditional method of determining the availability of nutrient levels in relation to crop requirements. Soil tests are calibrated through field experimentation to determine at what level there are sufficient nutrients already in the soil to be able to meet the needs of a crop without additional fertilizer.

"This soil test level is called the 'critical level' and in the Penn State soil test interpretation categories (below optimum, optimum, above optimum), the critical level is at the bottom of the optimum range," White wrote.

The thought is to build soil test levels into the optimum range and maintain levels at this range by applying nutrients to match crop removal rates, he wrote. While this provides good economic returns in the long run, farmers can consider reducing fertilizer application rates for short periods of time due to cost or lack of availability if one follows the building components thanks to this buffer.

While you can't reduce fertilizer application rates forever, as soil test levels will fall below the critical level and yields will suffer, you can weather temporary price spikes and supply shortages if the soil test levels are in the optimum zone to begin with, he wrote.

To read the entire PSU article, click on the following link: https://extension.psu.edu/….

With retail fertilizer prices moving higher over recent months, all fertilizers are now higher in price from a year ago.

Potash is now 17% more expensive, 10-34-0 is 29% higher, urea is 32% more expensive, UAN32 36% higher, anhydrous is 41% more expensive, UAN28 is 45% higher, DAP is 51% more expensive and MAP 61% is higher compared to last 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.

DRY
Date Range	DAP	MAP	POTASH	UREA
Apr 6-10 2020	409	434	370	382
May 4-8 2020	413	433	370	388
Jun 1-5 2020	407	431	364	373
Jun 29-Jul 3 2020	406	427	361	357
Jul 27-31 2020	410	429	358	355
Aug 24-28 2020	430	435	352	355
Sep 21-25 2020	434	453	338	361
Oct 19-23 2020	446	476	332	359
Nov 16-20 2020	455	488	336	358
Dec 14-18 2020	466	522	360	361
Jan 11-15 2021	486	551	373	373
Feb 8-12 2021	588	642	398	453
Mar 8-12 2021	615	690	423	483
Apr 5-9 2021	618	699	431	504
LIQUID
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
Apr 6-10 2020	468	492	235	278
May 4-8 2020	468	492	237	280
Jun 1-5 2020	468	475	236	276
Jun 29-Jul 3 2020	468	461	233	272
Jul 27-31 2020	465	454	223	262
Aug 24-28 2020	464	442	219	258
Sep 21-25 2020	457	425	215	253
Oct 19-23 2020	456	424	209	249
Nov 16-20 2020	455	422	207	249
Dec 14-18 2020	463	450	210	253
Jan 11-15 2021	469	474	210	247
Feb 8-12 2021	512	524	243	285
Mar 8-12 2021	581	625	306	344
Apr 5-9 2021	605	692	341	378

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

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