Fertilizer Costs Climb as Much as 40% This Year

Growers and agricultural input buyers face higher costs for nearly every major fertilizer, with longer delivery times adding timing risk in remote regions.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Inflation

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of stacked unlabeled sacks beside a grain bin, evoking rising farm input costs. — Fertilizer prices have climbed as much as 40% this year, with seven of eight major products rising last month, according to DTN data. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Have fertilizer-driven food costs risen noticeably in your area this year?

Fertilizer prices have climbed as much as 40% this year, and seven of eight major fertilizers rose in price last month, according to DTN data. Farm input costs are a direct pressure point for U.S. agricultural operators, with every one of the eight major products now priced above a year ago.

Why it matters

Fertilizer is one of the largest variable input costs for U.S. growers, so a sharp run-up compresses margins before crops are ever sold. Regions with little or no local production, such as the Pacific Northwest, face longer delivery times that force earlier purchasing and expose buyers to more price risk.

Anhydrous ammonia averaged $987 per ton, up 17% from a year ago, while urea rose 13% year over year and UAN28 climbed 6% last month to $447 per ton. Potash reached $506 per ton, and all eight major fertilizers tracked by DTN cost more than they did a year earlier.

The players

DTN

DTN is a U.S. agricultural data and news provider whose retail fertilizer price tracking is widely used by farm operators and agribusiness buyers.

RFD-TV

RFD-TV is a U.S. rural-focused cable and satellite television network that covers agriculture, livestock, and rural business news.

The details

Fertilizer prices are set by nitrogen, phosphate, and potash supply chains that many U.S. regions depend on imports to access. Where local production is limited, product must travel farther, and longer transit times force buyers to commit to purchases earlier in the season. That earlier commitment window increases exposure to price movement between the purchase date and application, which is why the cost pressure reaches operators differently across regions.

This year: fertilizer costs have risen as much as 40% across the tracked products.
Last month: seven of eight major fertilizers increased in price.

Market Landscape

DTN's retail price tracking shows the increase is broad, with every one of its eight major fertilizers costing more than a year ago. The pattern points to input cost pressure across nitrogen, phosphate, and potash products at once, rather than an isolated spike in one product.

Operators who buy fertilizer should budget for higher input costs and review purchase timing against delivery lead times, especially in regions without local production. Procurement teams may need to commit earlier to secure supply and should discuss price-risk exposure with their suppliers or qualified advisors.

The takeaway

Fertilizer cost increases are broad across every major product tracked, so input budgets should reflect year-over-year gains rather than a single product spike. Track DTN's weekly retail fertilizer price series against your purchase schedule to see when delivery timing and pricing pressure start to diverge.