OMAHA (DTN) -- Retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the first week of October continue to show the slow and steady price increases, a pattern that's been in place for several months. For the fourth week in a row, all eight major fertilizer prices are higher compared to a month earlier.

As has also been the case the last four weeks, one fertilizer had a substantial move higher. Urea prices are 6% higher compared to the first week of September. The nitrogen fertilizer had an average price of $389/ton.

At $501/ton, it's the first time since DAP prices have crossed the $500/ton mark since the third week of December in 2015. At that time the price was at $519/ton.

The remaining six fertilizers were all higher in price than last month, but the price moves were less noteworthy. MAP had an average price $523/ton, potash $364/ton, 10-34-0 $451/ton, anhydrous $488/ton, UAN28 $237/ton and UAN32 $279/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.42/lb.N, anhydrous $0.30/lb.N, UAN28 $0.42/lb.N and UAN32 $0.44/lb.N.

Higher fertilizer prices are catching the attention of nearly everyone this fall. In a post from the Agricultural Economic Insights newsletter, David Widmar points out most retail fertilizer prices have been higher in recent months.

Using fertilizer prices from the USDA Illinois Production Costs report, he notes September prices were higher than in the spring for most fertilizers, with urea and DAP up 6% in recent months, while UAN28 and potash prices are both 2% higher.

"Anhydrous ammonia prices, so far have been contrarian and turned lower since spring, down 4%," Widmar wrote.

The story in nitrogen has been the urea/anhydrous ammonia price relationship with urea prices rising and anhydrous prices falling. The urea/anhydrous ammonia price relationship is, on average, usually at a ratio of 1.21. In other words, the price of a pound of nitrogen from urea is typically 1.21 times that of the price from anhydrous ammonia, he wrote.

This spring, the price relationship was at 1.24, very close to the average. Currently, the price relationship is at 1.37. Producers that have the option of using different sources of nitrogen might find anhydrous ammonia more attractive at current prices, he wrote.

"Historically, an uptick in the price relationship is typically short-lived," he wrote. "This is to say that it's not clear how long urea will be relatively higher-priced. The price relationship could change with urea falling or anhydrous ammonia prices increasing."

All eight of the major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year. Potash is 5% higher, 10-34-0 is 9% more expensive, UAN28 is 14% higher, UAN32 is now 15% more expensive, MAP is 16% higher, DAP is 18% more expensive, urea is 20% higher and anhydrous is now 22% more expensive 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.

This week in the DTN 360 Poll question we are asking a question about what your plan is for fall fertilizer applications. If you would like to answer the question, visit a DTN website.

DRY
Date Range	DAP	MAP	POTASH	UREA
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
May 14-18 2018	483	505	354	368
Jun 11-15 2018	484	505	354	364
Jul 9-13 2018	485	504	354	366
Aug 6-10 2018	487	507	356	363
Sep 3-7 2018	488	514	358	366
Oct 1-5 2018	501	523	364	389
Liquid
Date Range	10-34-0	ANHYD	UAN28	UAN32
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
May 14-18 2018	439	510	241	276
Jun 11-15 2018	440	503	241	277
Jul 9-13 2018	443	505	242	279
Aug 6-10 2018	445	482	233	271
Sep 3-7 2018	446	480	232	271
Oct 1-5 2018	451	488	237	279

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

Follow him on Twitter @RussQuinnDTN

(KD/BAS)

© Copyright 2018 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.