OMAHA (DTN) -- For the second consecutive week, urea, UAN28 and UAN32 led the way higher for retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the first week of May.

All eight major fertilizers were higher compared to last month. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

UAN32 had the most significant price increase. The liquid nitrogen fertilizer was 10% higher compared to last month, with an average price of $484 per ton.

Both urea and UAN28 were 9% more expensive from a month ago. Urea had an average price of $621/ton, while UAN28 was at $406/ton.

Urea was more than $600/ton for the first time since the second week of July 2023, when the price was $609/ton. UAN28 was over $400/ton for the first time since the third week of June 2023, when the price was $402/ton.

The remaining five fertilizers had slightly higher prices. DAP had an average price of $787/ton, MAP $825/ton, potash $473/ton, 10-34-0 $665/ton and anhydrous $783/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was $0.68/lb.N, anhydrous $0.48/lb.N, UAN28 $0.73/lb.N and UAN32 $0.76/lb.N.

In a post titled "Are you overspending on fertilizer?" from the University of Minnesota Extension Minnesota Crop News, extension educator Brad Carlson writes about how farmers spend money for nutrients and how this affects their bottom lines. (See https://blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/…) Using the FINBIN database of farm financial data for thousands of Minnesota farms, Carlson examined the fertilizer costs per acre beginning in 2016.

He found the 20% most profitable farms had fertilizer costs that averaged $138 per acre, while the least profitable farms spent $177 per acre. This is a 28% difference.

"I have continued to track the reports annually and the results have been relatively consistent over the years, with the least profitable farms between 2017 and 2022 spending 15-30% more on fertilizer per year than the most profitable farms," Carlson wrote.

Considering many farmers turn their nutrient purchasing decisions over to those who sell them products, it might be time farmers take a closer look into their fertilizer purchasing decisions, he wrote.

Four fertilizers are now higher in price compared to a year ago: 10-34-0 by 4%, both urea and UAN28 by 12%, and UAN32 by 16%.

The remaining four fertilizers are lower in price: DAP, MAP and anhydrous are lower by 1%, while potash is lower by 8% from a year ago.

DTN gathers fertilizer price bids from agriculture retailers each week to compile the DTN Fertilizer Index. DTN first began reporting data in November 2008.

In addition to national averages, MyDTN subscribers can access the full DTN Fertilizer Index, which includes state averages, here: https://www.mydtn.com/….

The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) released its list of 2025-26 public policy priorities, according to a TFI press release. You can read about it here: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

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

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