Fertilizer consumption in Lesotho
Lesotho: Fertilizer consumption was 3,102 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3,102 tonnes
Change on year
up 39.4%
World rank
156th
of 201 countries
All-time high
11,339 tonnes
in 2001
All-time low
303.24 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer consumption in Lesotho, 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 consumption in Lesotho is 3,102 tonnes, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 39.4% on the previous year and down 33.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer consumption in Lesotho peaked at 11,339 tonnes in 2001 and was at its lowest, 303.24 tonnes, in 1961.
That places Lesotho 156th out of 201 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertilizer consumption in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 303.24 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 430.76 tonnes | +42.1% |
| 1963 | 306.16 tonnes | -28.9% |
| 1964 | 429.6 tonnes | +40.3% |
| 1965 | 551.32 tonnes | +28.3% |
| 1966 | 649.77 tonnes | +17.9% |
| 1967 | 802.23 tonnes | +23.5% |
| 1968 | 327.52 tonnes | -59.2% |
| 1969 | 448.96 tonnes | +37.1% |
| 1970 | 375.72 tonnes | -16.3% |
| 1971 | 1,070 tonnes | +184.8% |
| 1972 | 631.84 tonnes | -41.0% |
| 1973 | 901.09 tonnes | +42.6% |
| 1974 | 804.16 tonnes | -10.8% |
| 1975 | 1,500 tonnes | +86.6% |
| 1976 | 1,303 tonnes | -13.1% |
| 1977 | 2,199 tonnes | +68.7% |
| 1978 | 4,401 tonnes | +100.2% |
| 1979 | 4,397 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 4,499 tonnes | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 4,503 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 4,500 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 4,500 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 4,599 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 3,496 tonnes | -24.0% |
| 1986 | 3,899 tonnes | +11.5% |
| 1987 | 4,000 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 4,500 tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1989 | 4,599 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 4,600 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 5,901 tonnes | +28.3% |
| 1992 | 5,699 tonnes | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 5,999 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 5,300 tonnes | -11.6% |
| 1995 | 5,903 tonnes | +11.4% |
| 1996 | 6,080 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 5,606 tonnes | -7.8% |
| 1998 | 5,998 tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1999 | 5,037 tonnes | -16.0% |
| 2000 | 7,993 tonnes | +58.7% |
| 2001 | 11,339 tonnes | +41.9% |
| 2002 | 4,411 tonnes | -61.1% |
| 2003 | 3,007 tonnes | -31.8% |
| 2004 | 1,071 tonnes | -64.4% |
| 2005 | 1,161 tonnes | +8.4% |
| 2006 | 1,790 tonnes | +54.2% |
| 2007 | 2,629 tonnes | +46.9% |
| 2008 | 854.32 tonnes | -67.5% |
| 2009 | 969.54 tonnes | +13.5% |
| 2010 | 508.56 tonnes | -47.5% |
| 2011 | 1,888 tonnes | +271.2% |
| 2012 | 787.43 tonnes | -58.3% |
| 2013 | 4,636 tonnes | +488.8% |
| 2014 | 4,832 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 1,592 tonnes | -67.1% |
| 2016 | 1,965 tonnes | +23.4% |
| 2017 | 3,394 tonnes | +72.7% |
| 2018 | 6,772 tonnes | +99.5% |
| 2019 | 3,355 tonnes | -50.5% |
| 2020 | 3,718 tonnes | +10.8% |
| 2021 | 3,556 tonnes | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 2,225 tonnes | -37.4% |
| 2023 | 3,102 tonnes | +39.4% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 3,102 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 86,615 tonnes, 4% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 3,102 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 24,201 tonnes, 13% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertilizer consumption in Lesotho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +488.8% | 787.43 tonnes | 4,636 tonnes |
| 2011 | +271.2% | 508.56 tonnes | 1,888 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 472.17 tonnes | 303.24 tonnes | 802.23 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 1,758 tonnes | 375.72 tonnes | 4,401 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 4,310 tonnes | 3,496 tonnes | 4,599 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 5,612 tonnes | 4,600 tonnes | 6,080 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,522 tonnes | 854.32 tonnes | 11,339 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,973 tonnes | 508.56 tonnes | 6,772 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,150 tonnes | 2,225 tonnes | 3,718 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 153 Sierra Leone 4,233 tonnes compare
- 154 Trinidad and Tobago 3,883 tonnes compare
- 155 Mauritania 3,836 tonnes compare
- 157 French Guiana 2,819 tonnes compare
- 158 Montenegro 2,275 tonnes compare
- 159 Puerto Rico 1,843 tonnes compare
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer consumption in Lesotho?
- Fertilizer consumption in Lesotho was 3,102 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 consumption recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 11,339 tonnes in 2001.
- What is the lowest fertilizer consumption recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 303.24 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Lesotho rank for fertilizer consumption?
- Lesotho ranks 156th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer consumption rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho 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 consumption. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Agricultural use from all fertilizer products (including nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers).