Fertilizer Prices Climb Again as Five Key Nutrients Rise in Early December
Fertilizer prices rose again in early December 2025, with five key nutrients up slightly and all eight higher than a year ago, adding pressure to farm input costs.
According to DTN's weekly retail fertilizer survey, potash averaged $489/ton, up 11% from last year, while 10-34-0 rose to $667/ton. Prices for anhydrous ammonia climbed to $865/ton, and nitrogen solutions also edged higher: UAN28 reached $414/ton, and UAN32 hit $465/ton.
The three fertilizers showing slight monthly declines were DAP ($916/ton), MAP ($921/ton), and urea ($586/ton). Even so, year-over-year prices for all eight nutrients are higher across the board - with DAP up 24%, urea up 18%, and both UAN28 and UAN32 up 28%.
On a cost-per-pound of nitrogen basis, farmers are now paying approximately:
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$0.64/lb.N for urea
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$0.53/lb.N for anhydrous
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$0.74/lb.N for UAN28
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$0.73/lb.N for UAN32
This continuing price escalation comes as producers finalize input plans for the 2026 growing season, intensifying concerns about profitability and risk management. Fertilizer remains one of the most volatile components of input costs, heavily influencing planting decisions and yield expectations.
Full Price Trends Table: December 2024 - December 2025
Dry Fertilizer Prices (USD/ton)
| Date Range | DAP | MAP | POTASH | UREA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2-6 2024 | 739 | 816 | 443 | 496 |
| Dec 30-Jan 3 2025 | 739 | 809 | 444 | 489 |
| Jan 27-31 2025 | 743 | 808 | 436 | 514 |
| Feb 24-28 2025 | 764 | 810 | 446 | 546 |
| Mar 24-28 2025 | 768 | 819 | 462 | 565 |
| Apr 21-25 2025 | 784 | 821 | 468 | 579 |
| May 19-23 2025 | 798 | 827 | 470 | 652 |
| June 16-20 2025 | 807 | 833 | 474 | 655 |
| July 14-18 2025 | 811 | 847 | 481 | 654 |
| Aug 11-15 2025 | 825 | 895 | 484 | 642 |
| Sep 8-12 2025 | 862 | 917 | 488 | 631 |
| Oct 6-10 2025 | 921 | 922 | 485 | 601 |
| Nov 3-7 2025 | 926 | 930 | 489 | 597 |
| Dec 1-5 2025 | 916 | 921 | 489 | 586 |
Liquid Fertilizer Prices (USD/ton)
| Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2-6 2024 | 611 | 719 | 324 | 363 |
| Dec 30-Jan 3 2025 | 613 | 734 | 324 | 364 |
| Jan 27-31 2025 | 631 | 738 | 325 | 383 |
| Feb 24-28 2025 | 642 | 751 | 350 | 397 |
| Mar 24-28 2025 | 650 | 770 | 360 | 423 |
| Apr 21-25 2025 | 656 | 781 | 381 | 449 |
| May 19-23 2025 | 666 | 779 | 414 | 494 |
| June 16-20 2025 | 669 | 773 | 417 | 495 |
| July 14-18 2025 | 672 | 769 | 417 | 499 |
| Aug 11-15 2025 | 669 | 762 | 421 | 489 |
| Sep 8-12 2025 | 667 | 768 | 414 | 482 |
| Oct 6-10 2025 | 666 | 814 | 419 | 466 |
| Nov 3-7 2025 | 666 | 858 | 414 | 465 |
| Dec 1-5 2025 | 667 | 865 | 414 | 465 |
Policy Watch: Trump Floats Tariffs on Canadian Fertilizer
Former President Donald Trump stirred additional concern in the fertilizer sector by suggesting possible tariffs on Canadian fertilizer imports. In remarks during a recent $12 billion agriculture aid package rollout, he said:
"A lot of it does come in from Canada, and so we'll end up putting very severe tariffs on that, if we have to."
The response from the U.S. fertilizer industry was swift. Veronica Nigh, senior economist at The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), criticized the statement, noting that Canadian potash exports are critical to U.S. supply chains.
"Of course, this is not a welcome comment from the president," Nigh stated, referencing earlier 2025 debates around trade and fertilizer sourcing.
With input prices rising and international trade dynamics in flux, the pressure on U.S. producers continues to grow. Access to affordable nutrients, stable supply chains, and predictable trade policy will be key themes to watch as the 2026 planting season approaches.
