Farm input costs

Fertilizer prices have been rising, but glyphosate herbicide has dropped like a rock. The Economics and Competitiveness Division of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development in partnership with Wild Rose Agricultural Producers conduct a monthly survey on a wide range of farm input costs in that province. Unfortunately, no similar farm input survey information is available in Saskatchewan, but many of the Alberta trends are relevant in this province as well. In November, the price of urea fertilizer, 46-0-0, was pegged at just under $500 a tonne. Urea prices have been rising since August. A year ago, urea was only about $420 a tonne. For phosphate fertilizer, 11-51, the Alberta price in November was about $669 a tonne. Phosphate has been trending upwards for the past year. One input is notable for a large price decline. Ten litres of Roundup WeatherMAX was listed at about $77 in November. A year earlier, the price was more than $150 for ten litres. Roundup WeatherMAX has followed the same downward price trend as all the glyphosate products. The full survey results ranging from barbed wire to combines and tractors is available on the Alberta Agriculture website (http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sdd13344).

I’m Kevin Hursh.

DynAgra, an independent Western Canada-based Company, is dedicated to providing growers with the tools to manage the risk and maximize the profitability of their farm business through the continued innovation of agricultural products and services. We are committed to developing and providing growers with the latest in precision agronomics, variable rate technology, soil fertility, crop protection, fertilizers, custom application and financial solutions.