Fertilizer use by nutrient in Canada
Canada: Fertilizer use by nutrient was 3.12 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.12 million tonnes
Change on year
up 13.6%
World rank
7th
of 202 countries
All-time high
3.12 million tonnes
in 2023
All-time low
98,348 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use by nutrient in Canada, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, fertilizer use by nutrient in Canada stood at 3.12 million tonnes. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 13.6% on the previous year and up 26.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use by nutrient in Canada peaked at 3.12 million tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 98,348 tonnes, in 1961.
That places Canada 7th out of 202 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 use by nutrient in Canada, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 98,348 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 122,323 tonnes | +24.4% |
| 1963 | 150,212 tonnes | +22.8% |
| 1964 | 170,708 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1965 | 218,209 tonnes | +27.8% |
| 1966 | 276,699 tonnes | +26.8% |
| 1967 | 320,841 tonnes | +16.0% |
| 1968 | 242,364 tonnes | -24.5% |
| 1969 | 269,850 tonnes | +11.3% |
| 1970 | 291,820 tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1971 | 350,000 tonnes | +19.9% |
| 1972 | 409,746 tonnes | +17.1% |
| 1973 | 512,641 tonnes | +25.1% |
| 1974 | 531,200 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 563,000 tonnes | +6.0% |
| 1976 | 599,100 tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1977 | 755,300 tonnes | +26.1% |
| 1978 | 834,400 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 1979 | 831,100 tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 937,800 tonnes | +12.8% |
| 1981 | 965,900 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 1.07 million tonnes | +10.8% |
| 1983 | 1.25 million tonnes | +17.3% |
| 1984 | 1.34 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1985 | 1.23 million tonnes | -8.5% |
| 1986 | 1.14 million tonnes | -6.6% |
| 1987 | 1.18 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 1.16 million tonnes | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 1.20 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 1.16 million tonnes | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 1.25 million tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1992 | 1.32 million tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1993 | 1.41 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1994 | 1.46 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 1.58 million tonnes | +8.2% |
| 1996 | 1.67 million tonnes | +6.0% |
| 1997 | 1.65 million tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 1.63 million tonnes | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 1.68 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 1.56 million tonnes | -7.0% |
| 2001 | 1.54 million tonnes | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 1.64 million tonnes | +6.6% |
| 2003 | 1.65 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 1.54 million tonnes | -6.7% |
| 2005 | 1.78 million tonnes | +15.4% |
| 2006 | 1.37 million tonnes | -22.8% |
| 2007 | 2.07 million tonnes | +50.7% |
| 2008 | 1.91 million tonnes | -7.7% |
| 2009 | 1.91 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 2.05 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 2011 | 2.49 million tonnes | +21.4% |
| 2012 | 2.79 million tonnes | +11.9% |
| 2013 | 2.46 million tonnes | -11.7% |
| 2014 | 2.54 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 2.58 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 2.46 million tonnes | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 2.47 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 2.77 million tonnes | +12.1% |
| 2019 | 2.57 million tonnes | -7.3% |
| 2020 | 3.05 million tonnes | +18.7% |
| 2021 | 2.83 million tonnes | -7.1% |
| 2022 | 2.74 million tonnes | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 3.12 million tonnes | +13.6% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 3.12 million tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 83,582 tonnes, 37.3× the median. (68 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 207,728 tonnes | 98,348 tonnes | 320,841 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 567,831 tonnes | 291,820 tonnes | 834,400 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.15 million tonnes | 937,800 tonnes | 1.34 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.48 million tonnes | 1.16 million tonnes | 1.68 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.70 million tonnes | 1.37 million tonnes | 2.07 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.52 million tonnes | 2.05 million tonnes | 2.79 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.93 million tonnes | 2.74 million tonnes | 3.12 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More agriculture & rural data for Canada
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 31.61 % change on previous year (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,092 current US$ per person (2022)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.0803 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1712 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.9% (2022)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.9% (2022)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use by nutrient in Canada?
- Fertilizer use by nutrient in Canada was 3.12 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 use by nutrient recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 3.12 million tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use by nutrient recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 98,348 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Canada rank for fertilizer use by nutrient?
- Canada ranks 7th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use by nutrient rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada 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 by nutrient. 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 use in the agricultural sector, which includes use for crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture.