Fertilizer consumption in Australia
Australia: Fertilizer consumption was 409.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Fertilizer consumption in Australia, 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 % of fertilizer production.
Analysis
In 2023, fertilizer consumption in Australia stood at 409.5%. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 21.5% on the previous year and up 84.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer consumption in Australia peaked at 409.5% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 93.6%, in 1974.
That places Australia 31st out of 106 countries 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 Australia, year by year
| Year | % of fertilizer production | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 110.1% | — |
| 1962 | 98.1% | -10.9% |
| 1963 | 97.5% | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 113.2% | +16.1% |
| 1965 | 111.4% | -1.6% |
| 1966 | 111.6% | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 107.5% | -3.7% |
| 1968 | 117.0% | +8.9% |
| 1969 | 108.7% | -7.1% |
| 1970 | 117.0% | +7.6% |
| 1971 | 108.0% | -7.7% |
| 1972 | 103.5% | -4.1% |
| 1973 | 112.3% | +8.5% |
| 1974 | 93.6% | -16.6% |
| 1975 | 113.6% | +21.4% |
| 1976 | 115.3% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 111.4% | -3.4% |
| 1978 | 120.2% | +7.9% |
| 1979 | 114.4% | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 118.5% | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 122.8% | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 138.6% | +12.9% |
| 1983 | 150.0% | +8.2% |
| 1984 | 156.4% | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 157.1% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 143.3% | -8.8% |
| 1987 | 139.3% | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 146.2% | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 188.8% | +29.1% |
| 1990 | 236.5% | +25.3% |
| 1991 | 256.2% | +8.3% |
| 1992 | 262.3% | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 278.6% | +6.2% |
| 1994 | 264.9% | -4.9% |
| 1995 | 272.5% | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 330.7% | +21.4% |
| 1997 | 345.8% | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 344.3% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 317.2% | -7.9% |
| 2000 | 235.3% | -25.8% |
| 2001 | 224.3% | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 228.5% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 231.1% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 252.4% | +9.2% |
| 2005 | 236.9% | -6.1% |
| 2006 | 224.7% | -5.2% |
| 2007 | 181.1% | -19.4% |
| 2008 | 215.6% | +19.1% |
| 2009 | 152.6% | -29.2% |
| 2010 | 282.4% | +85.0% |
| 2011 | 242.3% | -14.2% |
| 2012 | 267.7% | +10.5% |
| 2013 | 222.5% | -16.9% |
| 2014 | 383.4% | +72.3% |
| 2015 | 285.8% | -25.5% |
| 2016 | 282.5% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 309.3% | +9.5% |
| 2018 | 304.2% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 307.1% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 344.6% | +12.2% |
| 2021 | 350.5% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 337.2% | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 409.5% | +21.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 108.3% | 97.5% | 117.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 110.9% | 93.6% | 120.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 146.1% | 118.5% | 188.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 290.9% | 236.5% | 345.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 218.2% | 152.6% | 252.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 288.7% | 222.5% | 383.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 360.4% | 337.2% | 409.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More agriculture & rural data for Australia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0227 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,476 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5855 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1228 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer consumption in Australia?
- Fertilizer consumption in Australia was 409.5% 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 Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 409.5% in 2023.
- What is the lowest fertilizer consumption recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 93.6% in 1974.
- How does Australia rank for fertilizer consumption?
- Australia ranks 31st out of 106 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer consumption rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 84.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia 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 (% of fertilizer production). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Fertilizer consumption measures the quantity of plant nutrients and is calculated as production plus imports minus exports. Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Traditional nutrients--animal and plant manures--are not included. Because some chemical compounds used for fertilizers have other industrial applications, the consumption data may overstate the quantity available for crops. Fertilizer consumption as a share of production shows the agriculture sector's vulnerability to import and energy price fluctuation. Most fertilizers that are commonly used in agriculture contain the three basic plant nutrients-nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Some fertilizers also contain certain micronutrients such as zinc and other metals that are necessary for plant growth. Materials that are applied to the land primarily to enhance soil characteristics (rather than as plant food) are commonly referred to as soil amendments.