Fertilizer consumption in North America
North America: Fertilizer consumption was 128.81 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
128.81 kilograms per hectare of arable land
Change on year
up 2.5%
Rank
21st
of 47 groups
All-time high
133.59 kilograms per hectare of arable land
in 2020
All-time low
36.22 kilograms per hectare of arable land
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer consumption in North America, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in kilograms per hectare of arable land.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertilizer consumption in North America is 128.81 kilograms per hectare of arable land, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer consumption in North America peaked at 133.59 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2020 and was at its lowest, 36.22 kilograms per hectare of arable land, in 1961.
That places North America 21st out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Fertilizer consumption in North America, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare of arable land | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 36.22 kilograms per hectare of arable land | — |
| 1962 | 40.8 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +12.7% |
| 1963 | 44.59 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +9.3% |
| 1964 | 48.03 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +7.7% |
| 1965 | 53.5 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +11.4% |
| 1966 | 60.67 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +13.4% |
| 1967 | 66.68 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +9.9% |
| 1968 | 66.7 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 66.48 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 70.5 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +6.0% |
| 1971 | 72.66 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 75.55 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 81.17 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +7.4% |
| 1974 | 78.88 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -2.8% |
| 1975 | 84.88 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +7.6% |
| 1976 | 92.85 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +9.4% |
| 1977 | 92.05 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 94.5 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 98.81 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.6% |
| 1980 | 101.45 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 96.55 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -4.8% |
| 1982 | 85.64 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -11.3% |
| 1983 | 91.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +6.7% |
| 1984 | 97.03 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 90.91 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -6.3% |
| 1986 | 85.68 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -5.7% |
| 1987 | 87.25 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 87.55 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 90.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 91.29 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 92.05 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 94.06 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 99.41 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 98.9 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 100.26 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 104.11 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 104.94 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 103.35 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 103.02 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 99.41 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 100.69 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 102.94 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 113.21 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +10.0% |
| 2004 | 108.29 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 107.2 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 112.56 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.0% |
| 2007 | 112.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 94.86 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -15.5% |
| 2009 | 109.8 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +15.8% |
| 2010 | 116.04 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 123.85 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 128.99 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 128.01 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 123 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 124.3 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 122.37 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 122.83 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 126.66 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 125.43 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 133.59 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +6.5% |
| 2021 | 129.68 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 125.63 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 128.81 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 53.74 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 36.22 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 66.7 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 9 |
| 1970s | 84.19 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 70.5 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 98.81 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 1980s | 91.37 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 85.64 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 101.45 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 1990s | 99.14 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 91.29 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 104.94 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2000s | 106.13 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 94.86 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 113.21 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2010s | 124.15 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 116.04 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 128.99 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2020s | 129.43 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 125.63 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 133.59 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 4 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 18 Indonesia 311.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 19 Uzbekistan 303.04 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 20 Oman 301.46 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 21 Thailand 287.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 22 Suriname 285.64 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 23 Republic of Korea 262.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 24 Montenegro 251.38 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
More agriculture & rural data for North America
- Rural population, per capita 0.1951 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.0% (2021)
- Rural population 74.83 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.2% (2025)
- Rural population 19.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.9% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 691.3 current US$ per person (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.18 % change on previous year (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0099 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer consumption in North America?
- Fertilizer consumption in North America was 128.81 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest fertilizer consumption recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 133.59 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2020.
- What is the lowest fertilizer consumption recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.22 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 1961.
- How does North America rank for fertilizer consumption?
- North America ranks 21st out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer consumption rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Fertilizer consumption (kilograms per hectare of arable land). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Fertilizer consumption measures the quantity of plant nutrients used per unit of arable land. Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Traditional nutrients--animal and plant manures--are not included. For the purpose of data dissemination, FAO has adopted the concept of a calendar year (January to December). Some countries compile fertilizer data on a calendar year basis, while others are on a split-year basis. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.