Fertilizer production by nutrient type in China
China: Fertilizer production by nutrient type was 2.05 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
2.05 million tonnes
Change on year
down 50.5%
World rank
7th
of 197 countries
All-time high
6.65 million tonnes
in 2016
All-time low
1,000 tonnes
in 1963
Years of data
62
1961–2023
Fertilizer production by nutrient type in China, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertilizer production by nutrient type in China is 2.05 million tonnes, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 50.5% on the previous year and down 59.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer production by nutrient type in China peaked at 6.65 million tonnes in 2016 and was at its lowest, 1,000 tonnes, in 1963.
That places China 7th out of 197 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertilizer production by nutrient type in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2,000 tonnes | — |
| 1963 | 1,000 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1964 | 1,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 2,000 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 1967 | 4,000 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 1968 | 3,000 tonnes | -25.0% |
| 1969 | 3,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 5,000 tonnes | +66.7% |
| 1971 | 12,000 tonnes | +140.0% |
| 1972 | 8,000 tonnes | -33.3% |
| 1973 | 7,000 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 1974 | 5,000 tonnes | -28.6% |
| 1975 | 7,000 tonnes | +40.0% |
| 1976 | 11,000 tonnes | +57.1% |
| 1977 | 21,000 tonnes | +90.9% |
| 1978 | 21,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 15,700 tonnes | -25.2% |
| 1980 | 19,800 tonnes | +26.1% |
| 1981 | 24,400 tonnes | +23.2% |
| 1982 | 25,000 tonnes | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 29,000 tonnes | +16.0% |
| 1984 | 32,000 tonnes | +10.3% |
| 1985 | 23,000 tonnes | -28.1% |
| 1986 | 24,000 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1987 | 39,700 tonnes | +65.4% |
| 1988 | 53,800 tonnes | +35.5% |
| 1989 | 32,000 tonnes | -40.5% |
| 1990 | 46,000 tonnes | +43.8% |
| 1991 | 98,000 tonnes | +113.0% |
| 1992 | 91,000 tonnes | -7.1% |
| 1993 | 70,000 tonnes | -23.1% |
| 1994 | 116,500 tonnes | +66.4% |
| 1995 | 223,000 tonnes | +91.4% |
| 1996 | 218,000 tonnes | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 170,000 tonnes | -22.0% |
| 1998 | 213,000 tonnes | +25.3% |
| 1999 | 218,000 tonnes | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 275,000 tonnes | +26.1% |
| 2001 | 395,000 tonnes | +43.6% |
| 2002 | 430,000 tonnes | +8.9% |
| 2003 | 620,000 tonnes | +44.2% |
| 2004 | 840,000 tonnes | +35.5% |
| 2005 | 1.48 million tonnes | +75.6% |
| 2006 | 1.75 million tonnes | +18.6% |
| 2007 | 2.50 million tonnes | +42.8% |
| 2008 | 2.91 million tonnes | +16.5% |
| 2009 | 3.63 million tonnes | +24.6% |
| 2010 | 3.97 million tonnes | +9.4% |
| 2011 | 4.92 million tonnes | +23.9% |
| 2012 | 5.30 million tonnes | +7.8% |
| 2013 | 5.10 million tonnes | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 6.10 million tonnes | +19.7% |
| 2015 | 6.04 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 6.65 million tonnes | +10.1% |
| 2017 | 5.96 million tonnes | -10.3% |
| 2018 | 6.15 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 4.08 million tonnes | -33.5% |
| 2020 | 4.09 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 4.62 million tonnes | +13.0% |
| 2022 | 4.13 million tonnes | -10.6% |
| 2023 | 2.05 million tonnes | -50.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,125 tonnes | 1,000 tonnes | 4,000 tonnes | 8 |
| 1970s | 11,270 tonnes | 5,000 tonnes | 21,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 30,270 tonnes | 19,800 tonnes | 53,800 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 146,350 tonnes | 46,000 tonnes | 223,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.48 million tonnes | 275,000 tonnes | 3.63 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.43 million tonnes | 3.97 million tonnes | 6.65 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.72 million tonnes | 2.05 million tonnes | 4.62 million tonnes | 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 production by nutrient type in China?
- Fertilizer production by nutrient type in China was 2.05 million tonnes 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 production by nutrient type recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 6.65 million tonnes in 2016.
- What is the lowest fertilizer production by nutrient type recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,000 tonnes in 1963.
- How does China rank for fertilizer production by nutrient type?
- China ranks 7th out of 197 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer production by nutrient type rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 production by nutrient type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total fertilizer production by nutrient type (nitrogen, phosphate and potash), measured in tonnes of nutrient.