Nitrogen fertilizer use in New Zealand
New Zealand: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 369,000 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in New Zealand, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 369,000 tonnes for nitrogen fertilizer use in 2023.
The figure is down 12.1% on the previous year and down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in New Zealand peaked at 470,000 tonnes in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3,445 tonnes, in 1962.
That places New Zealand 35th 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.
Nitrogen fertilizer use in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4,264 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 3,445 tonnes | -19.2% |
| 1963 | 4,017 tonnes | +16.6% |
| 1964 | 5,908 tonnes | +47.1% |
| 1965 | 6,560 tonnes | +11.0% |
| 1966 | 6,870 tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1967 | 4,913 tonnes | -28.5% |
| 1968 | 7,915 tonnes | +61.1% |
| 1969 | 9,825 tonnes | +24.1% |
| 1970 | 7,937 tonnes | -19.2% |
| 1971 | 9,893 tonnes | +24.6% |
| 1972 | 31,786 tonnes | +221.3% |
| 1973 | 32,447 tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 17,842 tonnes | -45.0% |
| 1975 | 10,295 tonnes | -42.3% |
| 1976 | 20,103 tonnes | +95.3% |
| 1977 | 20,231 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 24,900 tonnes | +23.1% |
| 1979 | 22,300 tonnes | -10.4% |
| 1980 | 20,300 tonnes | -9.0% |
| 1981 | 21,700 tonnes | +6.9% |
| 1982 | 30,150 tonnes | +38.9% |
| 1983 | 33,141 tonnes | +9.9% |
| 1984 | 40,000 tonnes | +20.7% |
| 1985 | 32,000 tonnes | -20.0% |
| 1986 | 27,000 tonnes | -15.6% |
| 1987 | 36,800 tonnes | +36.3% |
| 1988 | 20,500 tonnes | -44.3% |
| 1989 | 22,200 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1990 | 45,800 tonnes | +106.3% |
| 1991 | 64,500 tonnes | +40.8% |
| 1992 | 90,300 tonnes | +40.0% |
| 1993 | 105,731 tonnes | +17.1% |
| 1994 | 125,600 tonnes | +18.8% |
| 1995 | 155,500 tonnes | +23.8% |
| 1996 | 140,000 tonnes | -10.0% |
| 1997 | 138,900 tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 153,500 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 1999 | 180,000 tonnes | +17.3% |
| 2000 | 230,740 tonnes | +28.2% |
| 2001 | 269,000 tonnes | +16.6% |
| 2002 | 279,000 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 323,000 tonnes | +15.8% |
| 2004 | 348,000 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2005 | 355,000 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 310,000 tonnes | -12.7% |
| 2007 | 312,000 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 328,000 tonnes | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 297,000 tonnes | -9.5% |
| 2010 | 341,000 tonnes | +14.8% |
| 2011 | 367,000 tonnes | +7.6% |
| 2012 | 363,000 tonnes | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 370,000 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 405,000 tonnes | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 429,000 tonnes | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 432,000 tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 443,000 tonnes | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 458,000 tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 452,000 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 470,000 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 441,000 tonnes | -6.2% |
| 2022 | 420,000 tonnes | -4.8% |
| 2023 | 369,000 tonnes | -12.1% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 369,000 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 83,582 tonnes, 4.4× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 369,000 tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 21,697 tonnes, 17.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in New Zealand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | +221.3% | 9,893 tonnes | 31,786 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5,969 tonnes | 3,445 tonnes | 9,825 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 19,773 tonnes | 7,937 tonnes | 32,447 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 28,379 tonnes | 20,300 tonnes | 40,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 119,983 tonnes | 45,800 tonnes | 180,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 305,174 tonnes | 230,740 tonnes | 355,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 406,000 tonnes | 341,000 tonnes | 458,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 425,000 tonnes | 369,000 tonnes | 470,000 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More agriculture & rural data for New Zealand
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -10.07 % change on previous year (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0401 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,976 current US$ per person (2023)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.275 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.16 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.0% (2023)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in New Zealand?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in New Zealand was 369,000 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 nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 470,000 tonnes in 2020.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,445 tonnes in 1962.
- How does New Zealand rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- New Zealand ranks 35th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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 Nitrogen fertilizer use. 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
Measures total nitrogen inputs, including synthetic fertilizers alongside organic inputs from manure and crop fixation. Measured in tonnes of nitrogen.