Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Belgium
Belgium: Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 120.36 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▼ Falling
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Belgium, 2002–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 120.36 kilograms per hectare for fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 39.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Belgium peaked at 209.57 kilograms per hectare in 2014 and was at its lowest, 120.36 kilograms per hectare, in 2023.
Belgium ranks 21st of 201 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Belgium, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 177.11 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 2003 | 178.81 kilograms per hectare | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 170.26 kilograms per hectare | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 167.56 kilograms per hectare | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 162.19 kilograms per hectare | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 177.56 kilograms per hectare | +9.5% |
| 2008 | 157.95 kilograms per hectare | -11.0% |
| 2009 | 180.61 kilograms per hectare | +14.3% |
| 2010 | 200.11 kilograms per hectare | +10.8% |
| 2011 | 196.71 kilograms per hectare | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 200.39 kilograms per hectare | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 199.71 kilograms per hectare | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 209.57 kilograms per hectare | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 207.98 kilograms per hectare | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 184.41 kilograms per hectare | -11.3% |
| 2017 | 177.49 kilograms per hectare | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 174.34 kilograms per hectare | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 174.08 kilograms per hectare | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 168.69 kilograms per hectare | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 175.21 kilograms per hectare | +3.9% |
| 2022 | 123.94 kilograms per hectare | -29.3% |
| 2023 | 120.36 kilograms per hectare | -2.9% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 120.36 kilograms per hectare is above the median for high income countries, which is 63.32 kilograms per hectare, 1.9× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 120.36 kilograms per hectare is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 69.95 kilograms per hectare, 1.7× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -29.3% | 175.21 kilograms per hectare | 123.94 kilograms per hectare |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 171.51 kilograms per hectare | 157.95 kilograms per hectare | 180.61 kilograms per hectare | 8 |
| 2010s | 192.48 kilograms per hectare | 174.08 kilograms per hectare | 209.57 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 147.05 kilograms per hectare | 120.36 kilograms per hectare | 175.21 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More agriculture & rural data for Belgium
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -0.3325 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0073 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 443.58 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2138 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1233 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Belgium?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Belgium was 120.36 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 Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 209.57 kilograms per hectare in 2014.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 120.36 kilograms per hectare in 2023.
- How does Belgium rank for fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- Belgium ranks 21st out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium 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
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Use of fertilizers per area of cropland, which corresponds to the sum of arable land and permanent crops.