Fertilizer consumption in China
China: Fertilizer consumption was 92.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Fertilizer consumption in China, 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 China stood at 92.0%.
The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer consumption in China peaked at 200.6% in 1968 and was at its lowest, 82.2%, in 2015.
That places China 63rd out of 106 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Fertilizer consumption in China, year by year
| Year | % of fertilizer production | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 193.6% | — |
| 1962 | 175.2% | -9.5% |
| 1963 | 160.3% | -8.5% |
| 1964 | 141.4% | -11.8% |
| 1965 | 136.4% | -3.5% |
| 1966 | 142.7% | +4.6% |
| 1967 | 146.5% | +2.7% |
| 1968 | 200.6% | +36.9% |
| 1969 | 174.7% | -12.9% |
| 1970 | 167.2% | -4.3% |
| 1971 | 141.9% | -15.2% |
| 1972 | 132.6% | -6.5% |
| 1973 | 132.6% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 124.7% | -6.0% |
| 1975 | 123.1% | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 115.9% | -5.8% |
| 1977 | 120.9% | +4.3% |
| 1978 | 120.2% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 119.1% | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 121.0% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 118.6% | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 122.6% | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 129.6% | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 131.9% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 125.2% | -5.1% |
| 1986 | 121.2% | -3.2% |
| 1987 | 132.9% | +9.7% |
| 1988 | 142.5% | +7.2% |
| 1989 | 138.5% | -2.8% |
| 1990 | 142.4% | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 148.0% | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 140.7% | -4.9% |
| 1993 | 126.1% | -10.4% |
| 1994 | 134.7% | +6.9% |
| 1995 | 140.4% | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 132.9% | -5.3% |
| 1997 | 132.9% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 125.9% | -5.3% |
| 1999 | 123.6% | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 120.0% | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 118.1% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 125.7% | +6.4% |
| 2003 | 112.3% | -10.7% |
| 2004 | 109.8% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 114.5% | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 109.3% | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 100.6% | -8.0% |
| 2008 | 98.2% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 95.6% | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 93.0% | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 93.5% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 94.0% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 92.7% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 87.5% | -5.7% |
| 2015 | 82.2% | -6.0% |
| 2016 | 92.3% | +12.3% |
| 2017 | 92.1% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 94.0% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 89.4% | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 88.6% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 84.5% | -4.6% |
| 2022 | 89.0% | +5.3% |
| 2023 | 92.0% | +3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 163.5% | 136.4% | 200.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | 129.8% | 115.9% | 167.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 128.4% | 118.6% | 142.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 134.8% | 123.6% | 148.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 110.4% | 95.6% | 125.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 91.1% | 82.2% | 94.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.5% | 84.5% | 92.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer consumption in China?
- Fertilizer consumption in China was 92.0% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 200.6% in 1968.
- What is the lowest fertilizer consumption recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 82.2% in 2015.
- How does China rank for fertilizer consumption?
- China ranks 63rd out of 106 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer consumption rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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.