Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Australia
Australia: Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 61.68 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
61.68 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
up 12.8%
World rank
65th
of 201 countries
All-time high
61.68 kilograms per hectare
in 2023
All-time low
2.17 kilograms per hectare
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Australia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare.
Analysis
In 2023, fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Australia stood at 61.68 kilograms per hectare. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 12.8% on the previous year and up 77.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Australia peaked at 61.68 kilograms per hectare in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.17 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
Australia ranks 65th of 201 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Australia, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.17 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 2.51 kilograms per hectare | +15.7% |
| 1963 | 4.06 kilograms per hectare | +61.8% |
| 1964 | 3.5 kilograms per hectare | -13.8% |
| 1965 | 3.6 kilograms per hectare | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 4.05 kilograms per hectare | +12.5% |
| 1967 | 6.01 kilograms per hectare | +48.4% |
| 1968 | 5.85 kilograms per hectare | -2.7% |
| 1969 | 5.69 kilograms per hectare | -2.7% |
| 1970 | 5.94 kilograms per hectare | +4.4% |
| 1971 | 6.56 kilograms per hectare | +10.4% |
| 1972 | 8.7 kilograms per hectare | +32.6% |
| 1973 | 10.27 kilograms per hectare | +18.0% |
| 1974 | 10.69 kilograms per hectare | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 10.93 kilograms per hectare | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 12.77 kilograms per hectare | +16.8% |
| 1977 | 10.61 kilograms per hectare | -16.9% |
| 1978 | 11.52 kilograms per hectare | +8.6% |
| 1979 | 12.64 kilograms per hectare | +9.7% |
| 1980 | 12.43 kilograms per hectare | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 12.23 kilograms per hectare | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 11.84 kilograms per hectare | -3.2% |
| 1983 | 14.13 kilograms per hectare | +19.3% |
| 1984 | 14.13 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 14.48 kilograms per hectare | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 14.35 kilograms per hectare | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 16.53 kilograms per hectare | +15.2% |
| 1988 | 19.25 kilograms per hectare | +16.5% |
| 1989 | 22.38 kilograms per hectare | +16.3% |
| 1990 | 23.08 kilograms per hectare | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 23.94 kilograms per hectare | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 26.78 kilograms per hectare | +11.9% |
| 1993 | 29.42 kilograms per hectare | +9.9% |
| 1994 | 29.09 kilograms per hectare | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 35.46 kilograms per hectare | +21.9% |
| 1996 | 38.24 kilograms per hectare | +7.8% |
| 1997 | 35.75 kilograms per hectare | -6.5% |
| 1998 | 40.8 kilograms per hectare | +14.1% |
| 1999 | 41.86 kilograms per hectare | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 36.01 kilograms per hectare | -14.0% |
| 2001 | 37.95 kilograms per hectare | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 36.37 kilograms per hectare | -4.2% |
| 2003 | 35.61 kilograms per hectare | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 36.46 kilograms per hectare | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 32.05 kilograms per hectare | -12.1% |
| 2006 | 31.44 kilograms per hectare | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 32.44 kilograms per hectare | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 30.83 kilograms per hectare | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 27.8 kilograms per hectare | -9.8% |
| 2010 | 34.03 kilograms per hectare | +22.4% |
| 2011 | 30.83 kilograms per hectare | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 31.64 kilograms per hectare | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 34.79 kilograms per hectare | +10.0% |
| 2014 | 39.13 kilograms per hectare | +12.5% |
| 2015 | 37.34 kilograms per hectare | -4.6% |
| 2016 | 43.67 kilograms per hectare | +17.0% |
| 2017 | 43.27 kilograms per hectare | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 40.57 kilograms per hectare | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 38.93 kilograms per hectare | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 52.43 kilograms per hectare | +34.7% |
| 2021 | 58.63 kilograms per hectare | +11.8% |
| 2022 | 54.67 kilograms per hectare | -6.8% |
| 2023 | 61.68 kilograms per hectare | +12.8% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 61.68 kilograms per hectare is below the median for high income countries, which is 63.32 kilograms per hectare, 97% of the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Australia's 61.68 kilograms per hectare is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 33.6 kilograms per hectare, 1.8× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.16 kilograms per hectare | 2.17 kilograms per hectare | 6.01 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 10.06 kilograms per hectare | 5.94 kilograms per hectare | 12.77 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.18 kilograms per hectare | 11.84 kilograms per hectare | 22.38 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.44 kilograms per hectare | 23.08 kilograms per hectare | 41.86 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.7 kilograms per hectare | 27.8 kilograms per hectare | 37.95 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.42 kilograms per hectare | 30.83 kilograms per hectare | 43.67 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.85 kilograms per hectare | 52.43 kilograms per hectare | 61.68 kilograms per hectare | 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 use per hectare of cropland in Australia?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Australia was 61.68 kilograms per hectare in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 61.68 kilograms per hectare in 2023.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.17 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does Australia rank for fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- Australia ranks 65th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 77.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Use of fertilizers per area of cropland, which corresponds to the sum of arable land and permanent crops.