Fertilizer Costs Climb as Much as 40% This Year

Farm input prices are rising across all eight major fertilizers, which can add to the cost of growing the food households buy.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Inflation

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of stacked plain fertilizer sacks before a field of young green crops under overcast sky. — Fertilizer costs have climbed as much as 40% this year, with seven of eight major fertilizers rising in price last month, according to DTN. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

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

Fertilizer costs have risen as much as 40% this year, and seven of eight major fertilizers increased in price last month, according to DTN. Every one of the eight major fertilizers now costs more than a year ago, which raises input costs for farm operations across the United States.

Why it matters

Fertilizer is a major input cost for growers, so higher prices feed directly into what farms must budget for planting and into the food costs that follow. The Pacific Northwest has little to no local fertilizer production, so purchases there must be made sooner because product takes longer to arrive, which increases price risk.

DTN data show seven of eight major fertilizers rose in price last month, with anhydrous ammonia averaging $987 per ton, up 17% from a year ago, and urea up 13% over the same period. All eight major fertilizers now cost more than they did a year ago.

The players

DTN

A agricultural data and market reporting firm whose retail fertilizer price surveys track input costs that farmers and households paying for food ultimately bear.

The details

Higher fertilizer prices raise the cost of producing crops, which growers must absorb or pass along as they plan inputs for the season. In regions with little local production, such as the Pacific Northwest, longer delivery times mean purchases must be made earlier, and that longer lead time increases exposure to further price swings before product arrives.

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

Money Landscape

Fertilizer prices are rising across the board, with all eight major products up year over year, which pushes up the cost base for farm production. Because fertilizer feeds into food production, these input increases are part of the broader cost pressures that shape grocery and food-price inflation.

Higher fertilizer costs can show up later in grocery and food prices, so households may see food budgets stretch as those input costs work through the supply chain. If you are budgeting for food or evaluating household expenses, it is worth reviewing your food spending lines and discussing broader planning with a qualified financial professional.

The takeaway

Input costs like fertilizer tend to reach household budgets gradually, often through food prices, so tracking grocery spending over coming months can show how this pressure is landing. Watch the next DTN weekly fertilizer survey to see whether the year-over-year increases continue.