fertilizer prices

I pass a yard down the Marina in cork quite a lot. I remember seeing it full up of fertilizer towards the end of last season. There must be a lot of that stuff still hanging around and someone must have got burnt by importing too much of it last year.With the price of oil the way it is, you'd imagine there is only one way the price of fertilizer can go. Id say only buy just what's needed for now.

i bought it a few weeks ago. Bought a lorry load with 3/4 of the lorry Urea and 1/4 Sulfa Can. I think the Urea was €295, cant remember the Sulfa Can. I always buy fert at this type of the year for tax but never bought a lorry load before. Going to try out using more Urea next year and throughout the summer where possible e.g. if there is rain expected I will try and spead it just before even if ground is dry. Will have the sulfa Can then for backup for prolonged dry periods.

Weekly Fertilizer Review
Farmers love fertilizer when it's cheap.
Published on: Dec 5, 2016

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Lower prices convinced farmers around the world to beef up fertilizer purchases in 2016, helping slash North American inventories of phosphates and potash. But amid volatility in nitrogen markets there’s no indication global nutrient prices are set to move significantly higher into 2017, unless crop markets lead the way.

Ammonia prices were the weakest part of the N-P-K triad during the fall, but appear to be trying to find some traction as the onset of winter ends the fall application season. December contracts at the Gulf settled unchanged for the third straight month at $190.50, while our average retail price dropped more than $4 to under $420. That moved dealer bids closer to our fair value projection of $400, though the range of offers is typically wide. Recent updates on the southern Plains are running $340 to $380 but charges in the central and eastern Corn Belt are $100 or more higher than that range. International prices tried to firm on the heels of the urea rally, which appears to be faltering. More supplies are coming on in the U.S., which could limit gains into 2017.

Urea prices broke on international markets last week, with prices at the Gulf down almost $15. River terminals eased a couple dollars, but our average retail prices edged higher as dealers started to reprice offer sheets based on their higher wholesale costs. The question for growers now is whether those retail lists will keep rising or whether international markets will pull back more. Our average retail price is just $314.25, around $50 below the average retail cost projected from the wholesale trade. Swaps still point to higher prices this winter, with March contracts another $15 higher than the December price at the Gulf. That could take average retail prices above $375 if the gains hold. Growers who can find product priced at levels from before the run up should lock it in, because the market’s outlook remains hard to predict. Direction depends on India and China. Cancellation of India’s tender shocked the market lower, but China was a slow seller this fall as manufacturers cut production and exports in part due to rising price of coal, the primary feedstock for Chinese plants.

There was a lot of unsold fertiliser left hanging around yards last year that wasn't sold. Might be a good idea to check the bags for date of manufacture. My Guess is some of it could be of a 2015 vintage or older.