Fertilizer use spans global nutrient supply, national consumption, and crop-level application decisions. The figures below distinguish inorganic nutrients from fertilizer products, and survey estimates from observed consumption, while keeping each period and population explicit.
Key Fertilizer Use Statistics
These highlights summarize the most broadly useful measures:
- In 2022, 185 million tonnes of inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrients were used in world agriculture.
- In 2022, global nitrogen fertilizer use was 108 million tonnes of nutrient N.
- In 2022, global phosphorus fertilizer use was nearly 42 million tonnes expressed as P2O5.
- In 2022, global potassium fertilizer use was 35 million tonnes expressed as K2O.
- From 2021 to 2022, total global inorganic fertilizer nutrient use fell 7%.
- In 2022, Europe’s total inorganic fertilizer use fell 16% from 2021.
- In 2022, the five largest exporters supplied 82% of global potassium fertilizer exports.
- In 2013, U.S. nitrogen, phosphate, and potash consumption reached 21 million metric tons of nutrients.
- In 2021, U.S. fertilizer consumption fell 9.4% year over year to 18.3 million metric tons of nutrients.
- From 2006 through 2023, nitrogen represented 59% of average U.S. fertilizer consumption volume.
- In the 2014 crop year, nitrogen was applied to 97% of corn planted acres in 15 surveyed U.S. states.
- In the 2014 crop year, corn nitrogen application averaged 144 pounds per acre in 15 surveyed U.S. states.
- In the 2018 crop year, phosphate was applied to 42% of soybean acres in 19 surveyed U.S. states.
- In the 2018 crop year, soybean potash application totaled 3,221.4 million pounds of K2O in 19 surveyed U.S. states.
- In the 2019 crop year, nitrogen was applied to 86% of cotton acres in 13 surveyed U.S. states.
- In the 2019 crop year, cotton potash application totaled 460.5 million pounds of K2O in 13 surveyed U.S. states.
- In the 2017 crop year, winter wheat nitrogen was applied to 83% of surveyed U.S. winter wheat acres.
- In the 2017 crop year, spring wheat excluding durum received nitrogen on 96% of surveyed acres.
- In the 2017 crop year, durum wheat received nitrogen on 98% of surveyed acres.
Contents
- Global fertilizer use statistics and nutrient trends
- U.S. fertilizer consumption statistics over time
- Corn fertilizer use statistics by nutrient
- Soybean fertilizer use statistics and application rates
- Cotton fertilizer use statistics and nutrient totals
- Wheat fertilizer use statistics across crop types
Global Fertilizer Use Statistics and Nutrient Trends
FAOSTAT’s 2022 estimate covers inorganic mineral or chemical fertilizer nutrients used in world agriculture. It does not cover all fertilizer products or manure, and its nutrient accounting reports nitrogen as N, phosphorus as P2O5, and potassium as K2O.
| Nutrient or measure | 2022 estimate | Period comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Total inorganic nutrients | 185 million tonnes | Down 7% from 2021 |
| Nitrogen | 108 million tonnes N | Down 4% from 2021 |
| Phosphorus | Nearly 42 million tonnes P2O5 | Down 8% from 2021 |
| Potassium | 35 million tonnes K2O | Down 12% from 2021 |
Source: Inorganic fertilizers. 2002–2022.
The global change measures show that nutrient categories did not move identically between 2021 and 2022. Potassium had the largest reported decline, at 12%, while nitrogen declined 4%.
Europe’s total fertilizer use fell 16% in 2022 compared with 2021, according to the same regional inorganic nutrient-use estimate. This is a regional estimate, not a measure of household lawn fertilizer or all fertilizer products.
Trade concentration is a separate measure from agricultural use. In 2022, the five largest exporters accounted for 46% of global nitrogen fertilizer exports, 76% of global phosphorus fertilizer exports, and 82% of global potassium fertilizer exports.
Source: Inorganic fertilizers. 2002–2022.
U.S. Fertilizer Consumption Statistics Over Time
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service series measures consumption of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash in the United States. It should not be presented as household lawn-fertilizer use.
| U.S. measure | Reported figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen, phosphate, and potash consumption | 21 million metric tons | 2013 |
| Nitrogen, phosphate, and potash consumption | 20 million metric tons | 2014 |
| Total fertilizer consumption | 18.3 million metric tons; down 9.4% year over year | 2021 |
| Potash consumption | Down 11% | 2021 |
| Phosphate consumption | Down 7% | 2021 |
| Nitrogen consumption | Down 6% | 2021 |
Source: U.S. fertilizer consumption rebounds from 2021 drop.
The 2013 figure was the high point identified in the cited series, while the 2021 decline was associated by ERS with pandemic, energy, supply-chain, and trade effects. The 2021 figure is an observed U.S. consumption measure for the three named nutrients.
Across the 2006–2023 average, nitrogen made up 59% of U.S. fertilizer consumption volume in this series. Potash represented 22%, and phosphate represented 19%.
Source: U.S. fertilizer consumption rebounds from 2021 drop.
Corn Fertilizer Use Statistics by Nutrient
The 2014 Agricultural Chemical Use Survey covered 15 U.S. states representing 89% of U.S. corn acres. The figures are survey estimates for planted acres in those states, not a full-census estimate for every U.S. corn field.
| Corn nutrient measure | 2014 crop-year result |
|---|---|
| Acres receiving nitrogen | 97% of planted acres |
| Nitrogen application rate | 144 pounds per acre |
| Total nitrogen applied | 11.2 billion pounds |
| Acres receiving phosphate | 80% of planted acres |
| Acres receiving potash | 65% of planted acres |
Source: 2014 Agricultural Chemical Use Survey – Corn Highlights.
Nitrogen was the most widely applied of the three reported nutrients in the surveyed corn population. Its 144-pound-per-acre average applies to planted acres receiving nitrogen, while the 11.2 billion-pound total covers the surveyed states.
The phosphate and potash percentages describe acres receiving each nutrient. Because a field can receive multiple nutrients, these categories should not be added to estimate a unique share of corn acres.
Soybean Fertilizer Use Statistics and Application Rates
The 2018 soybean survey covered 89.2 million planted acres across 19 states, representing 96% of U.S. soybean acres. The nutrient percentages refer to acres receiving each nutrient, and NASS notes that acres receiving multiple nutrients are counted in each category.
| Soybean nutrient | Acres receiving | Average rate | Total applied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen | 29% | 17 lb/acre | 416.4 million lb N |
| Phosphate | 42% | 55 lb/acre | 1,974.3 million lb P2O5 |
| Potash | 43% | 87 lb/acre | 3,221.4 million lb K2O |
| Sulfur | 10% | 13 lb/acre | 111.5 million lb S |
Source: 2018 Agricultural Chemical Use Survey: Soybeans.
Potash had the highest application coverage among the primary nutrients reported for soybeans, reaching 43% of surveyed acres, while phosphate reached 42%. Nitrogen was applied to 29% of acres at 17 pounds per acre.
Sulfur is a secondary nutrient and is reported separately from nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. Its 2018 survey estimate covered 10% of soybean acres and totaled 111.5 million pounds.
Cotton Fertilizer Use Statistics and Nutrient Totals
The 2019 cotton survey covered 13.7 million planted acres in 13 states, representing 96.7% of U.S. cotton acres. The results below are surveyed-state estimates for the 2019 crop year.
| Cotton nutrient | Acres receiving | Average rate | Total applied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen | 86% | 85 lb/acre | 968.6 million lb N |
| Phosphate | 61% | 42 lb/acre | 345.1 million lb P2O5 |
| Potash | 48% | 73 lb/acre | 460.5 million lb K2O |
| Sulfur | 41% | 14 lb/acre | 75.2 million lb S |
Source: 2019 Agricultural Chemical Use Survey: Cotton.
Nitrogen was the most broadly applied nutrient in the cotton survey, reaching 86% of acres at an average 85 pounds per acre. Phosphate reached 61% of acres, while potash reached 48%.
Sulfur was applied to 41% of cotton acres at 14 pounds per acre. Its total of 75.2 million pounds is a separate secondary-nutrient estimate, not part of the nitrogen, phosphate, or potash totals.
Wheat Fertilizer Use Statistics Across Winter, Spring, and Durum Crops
The 2017 wheat survey covered 46.0 million planted acres in 18 states, representing 90% of U.S. wheat acres. Coverage was 85% of winter wheat and 99% of spring and durum wheat acres, so the crop-type comparisons retain different survey coverage levels.
| Wheat type and nutrient | Acres receiving | Average rate | Total applied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter wheat nitrogen | 83% | 72 lb/acre | 1,690.0 million lb N |
| Winter wheat phosphate | 58% | 31 lb/acre | 506.3 million lb P2O5 |
| Winter wheat potash | 15% | 40 lb/acre | 172.5 million lb K2O |
| Spring wheat, excluding durum, nitrogen | 96% | 98 lb/acre | 984.5 million lb N |
| Spring wheat, excluding durum, phosphate | 89% | 40 lb/acre | 367.7 million lb P2O5 |
| Spring wheat, excluding durum, potash | 34% | 21 lb/acre | 73.9 million lb K2O |
| Durum wheat nitrogen | 98% | 88 lb/acre | 196.8 million lb N |
| Durum wheat phosphate | 91% | 31 lb/acre | 64.7 million lb P2O5 |
| Durum wheat potash | 28% | 13 lb/acre | 8.2 million lb K2O |
Source: 2017 Agricultural Chemical Use Survey: Wheat.
Nitrogen coverage differed sharply by wheat type: 83% of winter wheat acres, 96% of spring wheat acres excluding durum, and 98% of durum acres received nitrogen. The corresponding average rates were 72, 98, and 88 pounds per acre.
Phosphate reached 58% of winter wheat acres, 89% of spring wheat acres excluding durum, and 91% of durum acres. Potash was less broadly applied in each category, reaching 15% of winter wheat, 34% of spring wheat excluding durum, and 28% of durum acres.
The wheat figures are crop-year survey estimates, and the reported nutrient forms remain distinct: nitrogen is N, phosphate is P2O5, and potash is K2O. These application totals should therefore be read within their crop type, surveyed population, and measurement year rather than combined into an unsupported overall rate.