Fertilizer production by nutrient type in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Fertilizer production by nutrient type was 176,882 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Fertilizer production by nutrient type in United Kingdom, 1973–2023
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 United Kingdom is 176,882 tonnes, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 24.3% on the previous year and up 1,163.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer production by nutrient type in United Kingdom peaked at 621,400 tonnes in 2003 and was at its lowest, 4,600 tonnes, in 1973.
United Kingdom ranks 17th of 197 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 production by nutrient type in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 4,600 tonnes | — |
| 1974 | 12,000 tonnes | +160.9% |
| 1975 | 34,000 tonnes | +183.3% |
| 1976 | 49,000 tonnes | +44.1% |
| 1977 | 121,000 tonnes | +146.9% |
| 1978 | 172,000 tonnes | +42.1% |
| 1979 | 276,000 tonnes | +60.5% |
| 1980 | 307,000 tonnes | +11.2% |
| 1981 | 281,000 tonnes | -8.5% |
| 1982 | 261,000 tonnes | -7.1% |
| 1983 | 315,000 tonnes | +20.7% |
| 1984 | 329,000 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 344,000 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1986 | 409,000 tonnes | +18.9% |
| 1987 | 473,600 tonnes | +15.8% |
| 1988 | 444,900 tonnes | -6.1% |
| 1989 | 463,000 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 488,000 tonnes | +5.4% |
| 1991 | 494,000 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 530,000 tonnes | +7.3% |
| 1993 | 555,000 tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 580,000 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 582,000 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 618,000 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1997 | 565,000 tonnes | -8.6% |
| 1998 | 608,000 tonnes | +7.6% |
| 1999 | 457,000 tonnes | -24.8% |
| 2000 | 601,000 tonnes | +31.5% |
| 2001 | 532,000 tonnes | -11.5% |
| 2002 | 540,000 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 621,400 tonnes | +15.1% |
| 2004 | 539,500 tonnes | -13.2% |
| 2005 | 439,000 tonnes | -18.6% |
| 2006 | 429,500 tonnes | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 427,000 tonnes | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 403,000 tonnes | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 200,000 tonnes | -50.4% |
| 2010 | 293,000 tonnes | +46.5% |
| 2011 | 462,000 tonnes | +57.7% |
| 2012 | 540,000 tonnes | +16.9% |
| 2013 | 14,000 tonnes | -97.4% |
| 2014 | 18,000 tonnes | +28.6% |
| 2015 | 29,000 tonnes | +61.1% |
| 2016 | 35,000 tonnes | +20.7% |
| 2017 | 60,000 tonnes | +71.4% |
| 2018 | 49,000 tonnes | -18.3% |
| 2019 | 49,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 99,300 tonnes | +102.7% |
| 2021 | 99,300 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 233,561 tonnes | +135.2% |
| 2023 | 176,882 tonnes | -24.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertilizer production by nutrient type in United Kingdom 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 | +183.3% | 12,000 tonnes | 34,000 tonnes |
| 1974 | +160.9% | 4,600 tonnes | 12,000 tonnes |
| 1977 | +146.9% | 49,000 tonnes | 121,000 tonnes |
| 2022 | +135.2% | 99,300 tonnes | 233,561 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 95,514 tonnes | 4,600 tonnes | 276,000 tonnes | 7 |
| 1980s | 362,750 tonnes | 261,000 tonnes | 473,600 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 547,700 tonnes | 457,000 tonnes | 618,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 473,240 tonnes | 200,000 tonnes | 621,400 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 154,900 tonnes | 14,000 tonnes | 540,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 152,261 tonnes | 99,300 tonnes | 233,561 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 14 Poland 241,823 tonnes compare
- 15 Uzbekistan 241,127 tonnes compare
- 16 Brazil 215,902 tonnes compare
- 18 South Korea 142,701 tonnes compare
- 19 Turkey 102,517 tonnes compare
- 20 Philippines 92,517 tonnes compare
More agriculture & rural data for United Kingdom
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0064 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 368.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1852 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1668 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.6% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.6% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer production by nutrient type in United Kingdom?
- Fertilizer production by nutrient type in United Kingdom was 176,882 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 621,400 tonnes in 2003.
- What is the lowest fertilizer production by nutrient type recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,600 tonnes in 1973.
- How does United Kingdom rank for fertilizer production by nutrient type?
- United Kingdom ranks 17th out of 197 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer production by nutrient type rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,163.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 — 51 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.