Fertilizer consumption in Canada
Canada: Fertilizer consumption was 37.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Fertilizer consumption in Canada, 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
The most recent figure for fertilizer consumption in Canada is 37.4%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 41.3% on the previous year and up 40.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer consumption in Canada peaked at 73.8% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 15.5%, in 1969.
That places Canada 85th out of 106 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Fertilizer consumption in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of fertilizer production | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 73.8% | — |
| 1962 | 49.1% | -33.5% |
| 1963 | 38.0% | -22.6% |
| 1964 | 32.1% | -15.6% |
| 1965 | 27.2% | -15.0% |
| 1966 | 27.4% | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 24.2% | -11.6% |
| 1968 | 18.8% | -22.3% |
| 1969 | 15.5% | -17.6% |
| 1970 | 18.0% | +15.6% |
| 1971 | 16.1% | -10.1% |
| 1972 | 19.1% | +18.0% |
| 1973 | 18.4% | -3.5% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | -6.1% |
| 1975 | 21.0% | +21.6% |
| 1976 | 17.8% | -15.1% |
| 1977 | 19.3% | +8.0% |
| 1978 | 20.6% | +6.8% |
| 1979 | 19.1% | -7.3% |
| 1980 | 19.7% | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 22.8% | +15.6% |
| 1982 | 26.1% | +14.2% |
| 1983 | 22.9% | -12.1% |
| 1984 | 23.6% | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 23.3% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 21.7% | -7.0% |
| 1987 | 20.1% | -7.1% |
| 1988 | 18.4% | -8.3% |
| 1989 | 20.6% | +11.8% |
| 1990 | 20.2% | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 20.9% | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 21.3% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 21.2% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 18.4% | -13.6% |
| 1995 | 20.8% | +13.1% |
| 1996 | 21.9% | +5.6% |
| 1997 | 20.9% | -4.8% |
| 1998 | 19.9% | -4.5% |
| 1999 | 21.3% | +6.7% |
| 2000 | 18.5% | -13.2% |
| 2001 | 20.7% | +12.1% |
| 2002 | 22.8% | +10.3% |
| 2003 | 21.1% | -7.6% |
| 2004 | 18.1% | -14.2% |
| 2005 | 24.4% | +34.8% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | -30.9% |
| 2007 | 21.5% | +27.3% |
| 2008 | 27.6% | +28.6% |
| 2009 | 26.1% | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 21.5% | -17.4% |
| 2011 | 26.4% | +22.5% |
| 2012 | 29.0% | +9.8% |
| 2013 | 26.7% | -7.8% |
| 2014 | 26.9% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 25.7% | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 25.3% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 24.3% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 23.9% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 24.8% | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 28.4% | +14.4% |
| 2021 | 27.9% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 26.5% | -5.0% |
| 2023 | 37.4% | +41.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 34.0% | 15.5% | 73.8% | 9 |
| 1970s | 18.7% | 16.1% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.9% | 18.4% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.7% | 18.4% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.8% | 16.9% | 27.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.4% | 21.5% | 29.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.0% | 26.5% | 37.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More agriculture & rural data for Canada
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 31.61 % change on previous year (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,092 current US$ per person (2022)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.0803 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1712 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.9% (2022)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.9% (2022)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer consumption in Canada?
- Fertilizer consumption in Canada was 37.4% 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 Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 73.8% in 1961.
- What is the lowest fertilizer consumption recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.5% in 1969.
- How does Canada rank for fertilizer consumption?
- Canada ranks 85th out of 106 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer consumption rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada 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.