Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Australia
Australia: Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land was 102.69 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
102.69 kilograms per hectare of arable land
Change on year
down 3.6%
World rank
84th
of 199 countries
All-time high
120.12 kilograms per hectare of arable land
in 2021
All-time low
42.02 kilograms per hectare of arable land
in 1962
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Australia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare of arable land.
Analysis
In 2023, fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Australia stood at 102.69 kilograms per hectare of arable land.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% on the previous year and up 41.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Australia peaked at 120.12 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2021 and was at its lowest, 42.02 kilograms per hectare of arable land, in 1962.
That places Australia 84th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Australia, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare of arable land | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 46.65 kilograms per hectare of arable land | — |
| 1962 | 42.02 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -9.9% |
| 1963 | 48.68 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +15.8% |
| 1964 | 59.6 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +22.4% |
| 1965 | 62.69 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.2% |
| 1966 | 60.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -4.2% |
| 1967 | 56.61 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -5.8% |
| 1968 | 53.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -5.8% |
| 1969 | 53.38 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 52.52 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -1.6% |
| 1971 | 63.35 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +20.6% |
| 1972 | 76.72 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +21.1% |
| 1973 | 102.76 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +33.9% |
| 1974 | 58.66 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -42.9% |
| 1975 | 55.32 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -5.7% |
| 1976 | 72.51 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +31.1% |
| 1977 | 72.08 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 72.82 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 74.79 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 69.5 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -7.1% |
| 1981 | 66.77 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 59.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -11.1% |
| 1983 | 62.03 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 57.76 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -6.9% |
| 1985 | 55.37 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 58.06 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 70.9 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +22.1% |
| 1988 | 77.36 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +9.1% |
| 1989 | 79.88 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 68.92 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -13.7% |
| 1991 | 74.98 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +8.8% |
| 1992 | 87.79 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +17.1% |
| 1993 | 88.71 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 97.14 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +9.5% |
| 1995 | 111.39 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +14.7% |
| 1996 | 105.46 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -5.3% |
| 1997 | 104.92 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 105.8 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 102.72 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 97.32 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -5.3% |
| 2001 | 102.19 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 95.47 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -6.6% |
| 2003 | 93.53 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 94.48 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 83.93 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -11.2% |
| 2006 | 85.6 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 89.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.4% |
| 2008 | 78.1 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -12.6% |
| 2009 | 60.93 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -22.0% |
| 2010 | 77.04 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +26.4% |
| 2011 | 68.12 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -11.6% |
| 2012 | 69.42 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 72.84 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 79.61 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +9.3% |
| 2015 | 79.47 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 89.09 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +12.1% |
| 2017 | 89.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 85.87 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 84.49 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 102.94 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +21.8% |
| 2021 | 120.12 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +16.7% |
| 2022 | 106.57 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -11.3% |
| 2023 | 102.69 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 53.67 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 42.02 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 62.69 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 9 |
| 1970s | 70.15 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 52.52 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 102.76 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.7 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 55.37 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 79.88 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 1990s | 94.78 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 68.92 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 111.39 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2000s | 88.09 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 60.93 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 102.19 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.53 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 68.12 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 89.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2020s | 108.08 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 102.69 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 120.12 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 81 Austria 106.42 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 82 Slovakia 106.32 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 83 Fiji 103.14 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 85 Bahamas 102.38 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 86 Mauritius 101.16 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 87 Iceland 97.29 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
More agriculture & rural data for Australia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0227 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,476 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5855 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1228 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Australia?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Australia was 102.69 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertilizer use per hectare of arable land recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 120.12 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2021.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of arable land recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.02 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 1962.
- How does Australia rank for fertilizer use per hectare of arable land?
- Australia ranks 84th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of arable land rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land. 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
Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Animal and plant manures are not included. Application rates are measured in kilograms per hectare.