| | Note: prices provided are normally given as grower prices, quoted by processors to growers after cleaning and dockage. However, with quotes now not being offered by many companies, last quotes may be provided.
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As we roll into the new year, the grass and legume seed marketplace continues to move at a snail’s pace, very slowly, with very little grass seed movement being reported. Processors continue to clean, but for previous commitments ordered many months previously. Any new business generally includes only partial orders of this and that, some not even enough to fill a container. The marketplace continues to be slow, with price quotes for many species not even being offered.
Except for a couple of species, most buyers and growers are aware that under normal situations, we are basically in a shortage position for many of our grass and legume seed supplies. But with no buying commitments, price quotes are not very good because no one knows the actual value of that crop. Once the world economy gets moving again, everyone is hopeful movement and buying will resume again, hopefully by springtime. Until then,
it’s wait time.
With very few new seed orders, price quotes have backed off. No one is buying right now. In the turf seed sector, most companies are not quoting Creeping red fescue prices. The last quotes have common creeping red fescue around the 60 – 62 ¢/lb range, with certified 10 ¢/lb higher.
The forage grass seed sector also remains quiet. Most prices are starting to be pressured due to a lack of demand. Smooth bromegrass, with good inventories in North America, continue to move down, with price quotes now in the 45 to 60 ¢/lb range. Certified Carlton in the 60 – 70 ¢/lb range. Latest Meadow brome grass seed quotes were in the $1.50-$1.70/lb range. Certified Fleet meadow brome quotes are anywhere from $1.70 to $1.90. Common timothy quotes and are at the 40 to 50 ¢/lb mark. Certified Climax timothy is quoted at a 10 to 15 ¢/lb premium.
On the legume side of thing, Sweet clover quotes are in the 40 to 50 ¢/lb range, but demand is limited. Alsike clover quotes are around the 40-50 ¢/lb range. Red clover continues to be strong, $1.00 to $1.20 + /lb. Common alfalfa seed prices have moved to the $1.20 to $1.40/lb range, depending on the variety initially grown. With good contracts available for pedigreed seed production, long-term alfalfa seed prices may be positioning itself for a move up.
| Grass and Legume Seed Prices |
Commodity | Creeping Red Fescue | Boreal C R Fescue | Smooth Brome grass | Carlton Smooth Brome grass | Meadow Brome grass | Fleet Meadow Brome grass | Timothy | Climax Timothy | Alfalfa | Red Clover | Alsike Clover | Sweet Clover |
| Common #1 - Min 97% Pure, 85% Germ | Certified #1 | Common #1 | Certified #1 | Common #1 | Certified #1 | Common #1 | Certified #1 | Common #1 | Common #1 | Common #1 | Common #1 |
Jan 8-07 | 45 | 47 | 110 - 115 | 140-145 | 120 - 130 | 150 - 160 | 20-25 | 40 - 45 | 90 - 95 | 65 - 70 | 25 - 30 | 25 - 30 |
Feb 2 | 45 | 45 - 47 | 110 - 120 | 130 - 135 | 120 - 125 | 150 - 155 | 20 - 30 | 40 - 45 | 90 - 95 | 65 - 75 | 25 - 35 | 20 - 30 |
Mar 2 | 45 | 45-52 | 115-130 | 135-140 | 120-150 | 150-160 | 20-25 | 45-50 | 90-95 | 65-75 | 25-35 | 20-30 |
April 2 | 46-47 | 47-50 | 130 | 155-160 | 160-165 | 185-190 | 25-30 | 45-55 | 90-100 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 20-25 |
May 4 | 48-50 | 50-55 | 120-130 | 150-160 | 160-165 | 180-190 | 25-30 | 45-55 | 90-100 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 20-25 |
May 28 | 46-47 | 49-52 | 120-130 | 150-160 | 160-165 | 180-190 | 25-30 | 45-50 | 90-105 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 20-25 |
June 22 | 45-46 | 47-50 | 120-130 | 150-160 | 160-165 | 180-190 | 30 | 45-50 | 90-105 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 20-25 |
July 13 | 45-46 | 47-50 | 120-130 | 150-160 | 160-165 | 180-190 | 30 | 45-50 | 90-105 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 20-25 |
Aug 13 | 42-45 | 45-50 | 100-130 | 150-160 | 150-165 | 170-190 | 25-30 | 45-50 | 100-110 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 25-30 |
Sept 7 | 45 | 50 | 100-130 | 150-160 | 150-165 | 170-190 | 25-30 | 45-55 | 105-110 | 65-80 | 25-35 | 25-30 |
Oct 3 | 45 | 50 | 110-130 | 150-160 | 150-165 | 170-190 | 25-35 | 45-55 | 105-115 | 65-80 | 25-35 | 25-30 |
Nov 7 | 45 | 55-60 | 110 | 140-155 | 150-165 | 180-195 | 25-35 | 50-55 | 120-125 | 70-80 | 25-30 | 25-30 |
Dec 5 | 45-46 | 60+ | 130 | 140-155 | 150-165 | 180-195 | 25-35 | 50-55 | 120-125 | 75-85 | 25-30 | 25-30 |
Dec 31 | 0.50 | 75 | 130-150 | 140-155 | 150-165 | 180-195 | 25-35 | 50-55 | 120-125 | 75-85 | 25-30 | 25-30 |
Feb 5-08 | 50 | 60 | 130-140 | 140-150 | 160-170 | 190 | 35+ | 55-60 | 120-130 | 85-100 | 35 | 25-30 |
Mar 11 | 52-55 | 60 | 130-140 | 140-150 | 160-170 | 190 | 35-40 | 55-60 | 120-130 | 85-100 | 35-37 | 25-30 |
Apr 1 | 55 | 60-70 | 130-140 | 140-150 | 160-170 | 190 | 35-40 | 55-60 | 120-130 | 85-100 | 35-37 | 25-30 |
May 6 | 60 | 65-75 | 120-135 | 140-150 | 160 - 170 | 170-190 | 45-50 | 55-65 | 115-130 | 85-100 | 23-40 | 25-30 |
June 3 | 62-65 | 70-75 | 120-130 | 130-145 | 160-170 | 170-190 | 50 | 60-65 | 100-120 | 85-100 | 35-45 | 30 |
July 8 | 62-65 | 65 - 70 | 100-120 | 110-120 | 150-160 | 170-190 | 50 | 60-65 | 100-125 | 85-100 | 35-45 | 30 |
Aug 5 | 65-68 | 80-90 | 85-110 | 110-120 | 150-160 | 170-190 | 50 | 65-70 | 100-125 | 85-100 | 35-45 | 30 |
Sept 2 | 65-68 | 80-85 | 55-65 | 65-70 | 150-170 | 170 -190 | 50-55 | 65-75 | 100-125 | 90-110 | 45-50 | 45-55 |
Sept 29 | 65 | 80 | 55-60 | 65-70 | 165-170 | 170-190 | 50 | 65-70 | 120-140 | 100-110 | 50-60 | 40-50 |
Nov 4 | 62-65 | 75-80 | 55-60 | 65-70 | 165-170 | 170-190 | 45-50 | 65-70 | 120-130 | 100-115 | 45-50 | 40-50 |
Dec 2 | 60-62 | 70-75 | 55-60 | 65-70 | 150-170 | 170-190 | 45-50 | 55-70 | 120-140 | 100-115 | 45-50 | 40-50 |
Jan 5-09 | 60-62 | 65-75 | 45-60 | 60-70 | 160-170 | 170-190 | 40-50 | 50-65 | 120-150 | 110-125 | 40-50 | 35-50 |
| Prices are quotes only, until actual orders come in, that's when firm pricing is established |
| - prices in ¢/lb |
| last updated: Jan 6-09 |
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