Fertilizer consumption in European Union
European Union: Fertilizer consumption was 97.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Fertilizer consumption in European Union, 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 European Union is 97.4%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 7.7% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer consumption in European Union peaked at 99.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 75.3%, in 1961.
That places European Union 28th out of 46 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 European Union, year by year
| Year | % of fertilizer production | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 75.3% | — |
| 1962 | 82.5% | +9.6% |
| 1963 | 80.8% | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 78.9% | -2.3% |
| 1965 | 78.8% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 78.5% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 81.8% | +4.1% |
| 1968 | 81.2% | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 84.4% | +4.0% |
| 1970 | 85.6% | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 87.6% | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 87.9% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 89.5% | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 81.5% | -8.9% |
| 1975 | 92.6% | +13.6% |
| 1976 | 89.1% | -3.7% |
| 1977 | 87.1% | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 87.6% | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 87.8% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 85.2% | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 89.4% | +5.0% |
| 1982 | 89.4% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 87.7% | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 85.6% | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 88.3% | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 91.6% | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 87.9% | -4.0% |
| 1988 | 89.5% | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 90.1% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 89.5% | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 88.1% | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 85.9% | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 91.8% | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 92.7% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 87.3% | -5.8% |
| 1996 | 91.0% | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 91.8% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 96.3% | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 97.4% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 99.8% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 99.9% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 96.8% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 97.8% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 91.2% | -6.7% |
| 2005 | 83.8% | -8.1% |
| 2006 | 84.1% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 89.4% | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 80.8% | -9.7% |
| 2009 | 84.7% | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 87.2% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 85.8% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 86.8% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 88.4% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 89.1% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 86.7% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 89.5% | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 90.4% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 91.7% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 86.7% | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 87.1% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 84.1% | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 90.4% | +7.4% |
| 2023 | 97.4% | +7.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 80.2% | 75.3% | 84.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | 87.6% | 81.5% | 92.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 88.5% | 85.2% | 91.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 91.2% | 85.9% | 97.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 90.8% | 80.8% | 99.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 88.2% | 85.8% | 91.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.7% | 84.1% | 97.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near European Union
- 25 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 472.4% compare
- 26 Myanmar 467.7% compare
- 27 Philippines 459.2% compare
- 28 El Salvador 453.9% compare
- 29 Thailand 423.3% compare
- 30 Colombia 411.6% compare
- 31 Australia 409.5% compare
More agriculture & rural data for European Union
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 9.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 346.42 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.6% (2025)
- Rural population 112.00 million (2025)
- Rural population growth -0.4% (2025)
- Rural population 24.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.3% (2024)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2483 units per person (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer consumption in European Union?
- Fertilizer consumption in European Union was 97.4% 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 European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 99.9% in 2001.
- What is the lowest fertilizer consumption recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.3% in 1961.
- How does European Union rank for fertilizer consumption?
- European Union ranks 28th out of 46 groups with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer consumption rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union 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.
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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.