Fertilizer use by nutrient in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Fertilizer use by nutrient was 258,330 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
258,330 tonnes
Change on year
up 5.0%
World rank
41st
of 202 countries
All-time high
292,000 tonnes
in 1992
All-time low
1,000 tonnes
in 1967
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use by nutrient in Saudi Arabia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 258,330 tonnes for fertilizer use by nutrient in 2023.
The figure is up 5.0% on the previous year and up 50.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use by nutrient in Saudi Arabia peaked at 292,000 tonnes in 1992 and was at its lowest, 1,000 tonnes, in 1967.
That places Saudi Arabia 41st out of 202 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertilizer use by nutrient in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 2,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2,500 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1965 | 2,863 tonnes | +14.5% |
| 1966 | 5,119 tonnes | +78.8% |
| 1967 | 1,000 tonnes | -80.5% |
| 1968 | 1,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1,200 tonnes | +20.0% |
| 1971 | 1,500 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1972 | 1,500 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 4,000 tonnes | +166.7% |
| 1974 | 5,000 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1975 | 5,700 tonnes | +14.0% |
| 1976 | 6,415 tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1977 | 4,708 tonnes | -26.6% |
| 1978 | 7,020 tonnes | +49.1% |
| 1979 | 15,971 tonnes | +127.5% |
| 1980 | 25,168 tonnes | +57.6% |
| 1981 | 41,535 tonnes | +65.0% |
| 1982 | 58,975 tonnes | +42.0% |
| 1983 | 113,270 tonnes | +92.1% |
| 1984 | 138,600 tonnes | +22.4% |
| 1985 | 168,990 tonnes | +21.9% |
| 1986 | 181,500 tonnes | +7.4% |
| 1987 | 236,700 tonnes | +30.4% |
| 1988 | 238,000 tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 262,000 tonnes | +10.1% |
| 1990 | 273,000 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 284,000 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 292,000 tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 250,000 tonnes | -14.4% |
| 1994 | 196,000 tonnes | -21.6% |
| 1995 | 153,000 tonnes | -21.9% |
| 1996 | 171,000 tonnes | +11.8% |
| 1997 | 181,000 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 1998 | 200,000 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 1999 | 210,000 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 228,000 tonnes | +8.6% |
| 2001 | 223,060 tonnes | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 224,300 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 235,000 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 238,000 tonnes | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 194,000 tonnes | -18.5% |
| 2006 | 206,000 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 2007 | 231,000 tonnes | +12.1% |
| 2008 | 168,000 tonnes | -27.3% |
| 2009 | 150,000 tonnes | -10.7% |
| 2010 | 149,000 tonnes | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 185,500 tonnes | +24.5% |
| 2012 | 206,000 tonnes | +11.1% |
| 2013 | 171,600 tonnes | -16.7% |
| 2014 | 164,000 tonnes | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 197,000 tonnes | +20.1% |
| 2016 | 201,700 tonnes | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 178,600 tonnes | -11.5% |
| 2018 | 178,200 tonnes | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 178,200 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 264,991 tonnes | +48.7% |
| 2021 | 249,312 tonnes | -5.9% |
| 2022 | 246,062 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 258,330 tonnes | +5.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 258,330 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 83,582 tonnes, 3.1× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 258,330 tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 29,329 tonnes, 8.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertilizer use by nutrient in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +166.7% | 1,500 tonnes | 4,000 tonnes |
| 1979 | +127.5% | 7,020 tonnes | 15,971 tonnes |
| 1983 | +92.1% | 58,975 tonnes | 113,270 tonnes |
| 1967 | -80.5% | 5,119 tonnes | 1,000 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,165 tonnes | 1,000 tonnes | 5,119 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 5,301 tonnes | 1,200 tonnes | 15,971 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 146,474 tonnes | 25,168 tonnes | 262,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 221,000 tonnes | 153,000 tonnes | 292,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 209,736 tonnes | 150,000 tonnes | 238,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 180,980 tonnes | 149,000 tonnes | 206,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 254,674 tonnes | 246,062 tonnes | 264,991 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More agriculture & rural data for Saudi Arabia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0259 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 894.48 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 3.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1539 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.6% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.6% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use by nutrient in Saudi Arabia?
- Fertilizer use by nutrient in Saudi Arabia was 258,330 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 292,000 tonnes in 1992.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use by nutrient recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,000 tonnes in 1967.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for fertilizer use by nutrient?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 41st out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use by nutrient rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.