Fertilizer prices are high right now, due to many reasons. It started last fall about this time, when commodity prices started to increase. Retail fertilizer price increases followed. In the spring, trade disputes, weather concerns and supply chain issues surfaced. DTN’s retail fertilizer reporter Russ Quinn says China’s ban on phosphate production is the latest news affecting supply. “From talking to fertilizer retailers before this news, they were very concerned about the fall. A lot of the retailers were concerned about supplies if it happened to be a big fall fertilizer application season.” Quinn is surprised at the price jumps. “Potash is up 85 percent and anhydrous is up 82 percent from last year. Then, there’s UAN 28 and 32 in the mid-70 percent increases. DAP and urea is around 60 percent higher. The only one that’s not up significantly is starter fertilizer, 10-34-0.” Farmers are taking this into consideration when making planting decisions for 2022.
