Ontario farmers pay more

Thursday, June 2, 2011

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

Even with a high Canadian dollar against the U.S. greenback, Canadian farmers are paying more for fuel and a lot more for Atrazine (84 per cent) while we’re coming out ahead on Nitrogen Solution, Roundup Weather Max, Pardner Guthion, Dithane Rainshield and Gavel.

The price differences came out last week in the second 2011 Ontario Farm Input Monitoring Project Survey prepared by the economics and business group at the Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph. The data is collected on 45 farm inputs from 10 centres in Ontario, four in Michigan, one in Ohio and one in Indiana. The survey was conducted May 25 when the Canadian dollar was at U.S. $1.0241. The first survey, conducted on May 11, saw the dollar even higher at U.S. $1.0436.

The surveys show dramatic price increases from 2010 to 2011. The first survey showed average fuel prices were up 26 per cent from 2010 with fertilizer prices up 20 per cent while pesticide average prices were down three per cent. The second survey shows that, while prices were still high, they were trending down with average fuel prices down by three per cent and fertilizer prices down by one per cent.

“If the impact of the exchange rate is removed,” the survey said, “the adjusted average percentage differences between Ontario and nearby U.S. states showed that fuel prices averaged 11 per cent higher in Ontario, fertilizer products were similar in Ontario and pesticide products were 62 per cent higher in Ontario.”

Specifically, on May 25 regular unleaded gasoline prices averaged $1.18, coloured diesel fuel averaged $1.03 a litre and farm dryer propane averaged 58 cents a litre. Fertilizer prices showed anhydrous ammonia prices averaged  $958 a tonne, urea prices ranged from $410 to $651 a tonne. Nitrogen Solution (UAN) 28 per cent prices ranged from $350 to $430 with an average price of $392. Di-ammonium phosphate prices ranged from $770 to $840 with an average price of $806. Muriate of potash prices averaged $668 per tonne and liquid 10-34-0 averaged $891 a tonne.

Pesticide prices showed 2,4-D Amine prices ranged from $7.00 to $11.20 per litre with an average price of $9.77. Atrazine prices ranged from $6.86 to $8.79 per litre. Banvel II averaged $35.01 per litre with a range of $30 to $44.13. Dual II Magnum prices averaged $38.08 per litre. The price for MCPA Amine 500 ranged from $8.25 to $13.40 with an average of $10.48 per litre while Roundup Weather Max varied from $5.95 to $11.20 with an average price of $6.75 per litre. Gavel prices averaged $18.49 per kilogram with a range of $15.25 to $22.10. BF