Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in India
India: Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 121.53 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
121.53 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
20th
of 201 countries
All-time high
121.53 kilograms per hectare
in 2023
All-time low
1.55 kilograms per hectare
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in India, 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
India recorded 121.53 kilograms per hectare for fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in India peaked at 121.53 kilograms per hectare in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.55 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
India ranks 20th of 201 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in India, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.55 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 2.05 kilograms per hectare | +32.3% |
| 1963 | 2.33 kilograms per hectare | +13.7% |
| 1964 | 3.42 kilograms per hectare | +46.8% |
| 1965 | 3.54 kilograms per hectare | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 4.53 kilograms per hectare | +28.0% |
| 1967 | 6.32 kilograms per hectare | +39.5% |
| 1968 | 7.34 kilograms per hectare | +16.1% |
| 1969 | 8.24 kilograms per hectare | +12.3% |
| 1970 | 8.96 kilograms per hectare | +8.7% |
| 1971 | 10.93 kilograms per hectare | +22.0% |
| 1972 | 11.15 kilograms per hectare | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 11.02 kilograms per hectare | -1.2% |
| 1974 | 10.6 kilograms per hectare | -3.8% |
| 1975 | 16.47 kilograms per hectare | +55.4% |
| 1976 | 14.71 kilograms per hectare | -10.7% |
| 1977 | 17.44 kilograms per hectare | +18.6% |
| 1978 | 20.33 kilograms per hectare | +16.6% |
| 1979 | 20.77 kilograms per hectare | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 21.87 kilograms per hectare | +5.3% |
| 1981 | 24.16 kilograms per hectare | +10.5% |
| 1982 | 23.96 kilograms per hectare | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 27.52 kilograms per hectare | +14.9% |
| 1984 | 31.48 kilograms per hectare | +14.4% |
| 1985 | 33.96 kilograms per hectare | +7.9% |
| 1986 | 38.54 kilograms per hectare | +13.5% |
| 1987 | 33.6 kilograms per hectare | -12.8% |
| 1988 | 42.26 kilograms per hectare | +25.8% |
| 1989 | 42.07 kilograms per hectare | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 44.47 kilograms per hectare | +5.7% |
| 1991 | 47.28 kilograms per hectare | +6.3% |
| 1992 | 49.57 kilograms per hectare | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 51.55 kilograms per hectare | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 55.82 kilograms per hectare | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 57.81 kilograms per hectare | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 60.85 kilograms per hectare | +5.3% |
| 1997 | 64.09 kilograms per hectare | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 66.78 kilograms per hectare | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 68.1 kilograms per hectare | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 64.19 kilograms per hectare | -5.7% |
| 2001 | 66.6 kilograms per hectare | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 61.57 kilograms per hectare | -7.6% |
| 2003 | 65.24 kilograms per hectare | +6.0% |
| 2004 | 68.94 kilograms per hectare | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 74.99 kilograms per hectare | +8.8% |
| 2006 | 81.2 kilograms per hectare | +8.3% |
| 2007 | 85.21 kilograms per hectare | +4.9% |
| 2008 | 87.75 kilograms per hectare | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 91.67 kilograms per hectare | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 97.21 kilograms per hectare | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 102.54 kilograms per hectare | +5.5% |
| 2012 | 99.33 kilograms per hectare | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 98.85 kilograms per hectare | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 100.02 kilograms per hectare | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 102.54 kilograms per hectare | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 98.84 kilograms per hectare | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 100.41 kilograms per hectare | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 104.45 kilograms per hectare | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 111.84 kilograms per hectare | +7.1% |
| 2020 | 121.42 kilograms per hectare | +8.6% |
| 2021 | 115.91 kilograms per hectare | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 120.11 kilograms per hectare | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 121.53 kilograms per hectare | +1.2% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 121.53 kilograms per hectare is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 13.3 kilograms per hectare, 9.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 121.53 kilograms per hectare is above the median for South Asia, which is 47.51 kilograms per hectare, 2.6× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in India 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +55.4% | 10.6 kilograms per hectare | 16.47 kilograms per hectare |
| 1964 | +46.8% | 2.33 kilograms per hectare | 3.42 kilograms per hectare |
| 1967 | +39.5% | 4.53 kilograms per hectare | 6.32 kilograms per hectare |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.37 kilograms per hectare | 1.55 kilograms per hectare | 8.24 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 14.24 kilograms per hectare | 8.96 kilograms per hectare | 20.77 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.94 kilograms per hectare | 21.87 kilograms per hectare | 42.26 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 56.63 kilograms per hectare | 44.47 kilograms per hectare | 68.1 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.74 kilograms per hectare | 61.57 kilograms per hectare | 91.67 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 101.6 kilograms per hectare | 97.21 kilograms per hectare | 111.84 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 119.74 kilograms per hectare | 115.91 kilograms per hectare | 121.53 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 17 United Arab Emirates 124.12 kilograms per hectare compare
- 18 Jordan 123.54 kilograms per hectare compare
- 19 Pakistan 122.88 kilograms per hectare compare
- 21 Belgium 120.36 kilograms per hectare compare
- 22 United Kingdom 114.49 kilograms per hectare compare
- 23 Guyana 108.43 kilograms per hectare compare
More agriculture & rural data for India
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.73 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4067 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6431 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 16.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 16.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in India?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in India was 121.53 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 121.53 kilograms per hectare in 2023.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.55 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does India rank for fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- India ranks 20th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India 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.
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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.