re fertilizers
Equal quantities by weight will contain an equal weight
of elements. Though soluble 20-20-20 may well be more
readily available. Nitrogen for a soluble is likely derived
from Urea & Potassium Nitrate. The nitrate form of N will
be pretty quick. Though Urea isn't slow unless it is made
that way by coating with sulfur &/or polymer resins.
Urea may also be reacted with formaldehyde to slow it's
nitrogen release but that's not what this thread is about.
The current cost of soluble forms of nitrogen is likely
to continue to rise for a little while longer. Between the
Venezuelan & Persian Gulf issues & the cost of domestic
natural gas, all US domestic Urea production was
halted for quite some time this winter. Granular urea
fertilizer producers can procure raw materials on
contracts & may be produced anywhere in the world
that energy is available. It's easy to ship.
The type of small prilled urea that is milled into soluble
forms is only produced domestically. It also is mostly
procured in the spot market where the current
market commodity value is paid. That value is up over
30% from this time last year.
So more expensive raw materials & the extra cost of
milling drives up the price.
Consumer packaging kicks the price up too. Right now,
Large package solubles can be had in 25lb buckets &
40 or 50lb bags for around $1.00 per pound with micro's.
A granular all soluble 19-19-19 would only run about
$.20 without micro's.
Steve (fertilizer sales) in CT.
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