Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States
United States: Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 107.65 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▲ Rising
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare.
Analysis
In 2023, fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States stood at 107.65 kilograms per hectare.
The figure is down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States peaked at 114.99 kilograms per hectare in 2013 and was at its lowest, 36.56 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
That places United States 57th out of 201 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 cropland in United States, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 36.56 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 41.21 kilograms per hectare | +12.7% |
| 1963 | 45.01 kilograms per hectare | +9.2% |
| 1964 | 48.47 kilograms per hectare | +7.7% |
| 1965 | 53.67 kilograms per hectare | +10.7% |
| 1966 | 60.82 kilograms per hectare | +13.3% |
| 1967 | 66.8 kilograms per hectare | +9.8% |
| 1968 | 67.34 kilograms per hectare | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 66.61 kilograms per hectare | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 70.38 kilograms per hectare | +5.7% |
| 1971 | 72.36 kilograms per hectare | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 74.91 kilograms per hectare | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 79.81 kilograms per hectare | +6.5% |
| 1974 | 77.14 kilograms per hectare | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 82.94 kilograms per hectare | +7.5% |
| 1976 | 91.34 kilograms per hectare | +10.1% |
| 1977 | 89.33 kilograms per hectare | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 91.07 kilograms per hectare | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 95.49 kilograms per hectare | +4.9% |
| 1980 | 97.55 kilograms per hectare | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 92.39 kilograms per hectare | -5.3% |
| 1982 | 80.47 kilograms per hectare | -12.9% |
| 1983 | 85.17 kilograms per hectare | +5.8% |
| 1984 | 90.48 kilograms per hectare | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 84.7 kilograms per hectare | -6.4% |
| 1986 | 79.97 kilograms per hectare | -5.6% |
| 1987 | 81.34 kilograms per hectare | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 82.02 kilograms per hectare | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 84.73 kilograms per hectare | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 86.02 kilograms per hectare | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 86.23 kilograms per hectare | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 88.04 kilograms per hectare | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 93.03 kilograms per hectare | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 92.37 kilograms per hectare | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 92.91 kilograms per hectare | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 96.42 kilograms per hectare | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 97.17 kilograms per hectare | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 95.64 kilograms per hectare | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 95.03 kilograms per hectare | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 92.56 kilograms per hectare | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 93.86 kilograms per hectare | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 95.1 kilograms per hectare | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 105.72 kilograms per hectare | +11.2% |
| 2004 | 101.53 kilograms per hectare | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 98.6 kilograms per hectare | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 107.45 kilograms per hectare | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 101.98 kilograms per hectare | -5.1% |
| 2008 | 83.86 kilograms per hectare | -17.8% |
| 2009 | 100.73 kilograms per hectare | +20.1% |
| 2010 | 105.52 kilograms per hectare | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 110.01 kilograms per hectare | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 114.26 kilograms per hectare | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 114.99 kilograms per hectare | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 108.22 kilograms per hectare | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 109.2 kilograms per hectare | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 108.28 kilograms per hectare | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 108.29 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 110.17 kilograms per hectare | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 109.87 kilograms per hectare | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 113.72 kilograms per hectare | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 110.06 kilograms per hectare | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 107.65 kilograms per hectare | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 107.65 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 54.05 kilograms per hectare | 36.56 kilograms per hectare | 67.34 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 82.48 kilograms per hectare | 70.38 kilograms per hectare | 95.49 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 85.88 kilograms per hectare | 79.97 kilograms per hectare | 97.55 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 92.29 kilograms per hectare | 86.02 kilograms per hectare | 97.17 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 98.14 kilograms per hectare | 83.86 kilograms per hectare | 107.45 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 109.88 kilograms per hectare | 105.52 kilograms per hectare | 114.99 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 109.77 kilograms per hectare | 107.65 kilograms per hectare | 113.72 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More agriculture & rural data for United States
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.96 % change on previous year (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0094 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 673.66 current US$ per person (2021)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1831 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1981 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.9% (2021)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.9% (2021)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States was 107.65 kilograms per hectare 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 per hectare of cropland recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 114.99 kilograms per hectare in 2013.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.56 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does United States rank for fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- United States ranks 57th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States 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 per hectare of cropland. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Agricultural use of all fertilizer products (including nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers) per area of cropland, which corresponds to the sum of arable land and permanent crops.