In 1965, the consumption of chemical fertilizers stood at some 46.3 million metric tons. By 2022, this amount had increased to 187.92 million tons. In that latter year, nitrogen fertilizers accounted for around 58 percent of the total global consumption, whereas phosphate and potash fertilizers held shares of 23 and 18 percent, respectively. Mineral fertilizers are widely used in agriculture to improve soil fertility and achieve higher crop yields. They typically contain one or more of the three main essential nutrients needed for plant growth: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.
Some of the main global fertilizer producers include Nutrien, Mosaic, and Yara. In 2019, Nutrien, a Canadian company that resulted from the merger of PotashCorp and Agrium, had the largest fertilizer capacity worldwide, at over 30 million metric tons. In 2020, Nutrien generated a revenue of nearly 201 billion U.S. dollars and over 23 thousand people employed.
Global consumption of agricultural fertilizer from 1965 to 2022, by nutrient
(in million metric tons)
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International Fertilizer Industry Association. (November 7, 2024). Global consumption of agricultural fertilizer from 1965 to 2022, by nutrient (in million metric tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/438967/fertilizer-consumption-globally-by-nutrient/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
International Fertilizer Industry Association. "Global consumption of agricultural fertilizer from 1965 to 2022, by nutrient (in million metric tons)." Chart. November 7, 2024. Statista. Accessed February 12, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/438967/fertilizer-consumption-globally-by-nutrient/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
International Fertilizer Industry Association. (2024). Global consumption of agricultural fertilizer from 1965 to 2022, by nutrient (in million metric tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 12, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/438967/fertilizer-consumption-globally-by-nutrient/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
International Fertilizer Industry Association. "Global Consumption of Agricultural Fertilizer from 1965 to 2022, by Nutrient (in Million Metric Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 7 Nov 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/438967/fertilizer-consumption-globally-by-nutrient/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
International Fertilizer Industry Association, Global consumption of agricultural fertilizer from 1965 to 2022, by nutrient (in million metric tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/438967/fertilizer-consumption-globally-by-nutrient/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed (last visited February 12, 2025)
Global consumption of agricultural fertilizer from 1965 to 2022, by nutrient (in million metric tons) [Graph], International Fertilizer Industry Association, November 7, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/438967/fertilizer-consumption-globally-by-nutrient/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed