Nitrogen fertilizer use in Pakistan
Pakistan: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 3.81 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Pakistan, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nitrogen fertilizer use in Pakistan is 3.81 million tonnes, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 17.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Pakistan peaked at 3.81 million tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 41,160 tonnes, in 1962.
That places Pakistan 6th 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.
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 41,659 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 41,160 tonnes | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 67,620 tonnes | +64.3% |
| 1964 | 84,147 tonnes | +24.4% |
| 1965 | 69,242 tonnes | -17.7% |
| 1966 | 107,779 tonnes | +55.7% |
| 1967 | 177,441 tonnes | +64.6% |
| 1968 | 203,521 tonnes | +14.7% |
| 1969 | 272,566 tonnes | +33.9% |
| 1970 | 251,519 tonnes | -7.7% |
| 1971 | 343,973 tonnes | +36.8% |
| 1972 | 386,230 tonnes | +12.3% |
| 1973 | 341,944 tonnes | -11.5% |
| 1974 | 362,900 tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1975 | 443,451 tonnes | +22.2% |
| 1976 | 511,000 tonnes | +15.2% |
| 1977 | 554,100 tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1978 | 684,300 tonnes | +23.5% |
| 1979 | 775,804 tonnes | +13.4% |
| 1980 | 843,574 tonnes | +8.7% |
| 1981 | 832,572 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 954,083 tonnes | +14.6% |
| 1983 | 914,317 tonnes | -4.2% |
| 1984 | 934,498 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 1.13 million tonnes | +20.7% |
| 1986 | 1.33 million tonnes | +18.1% |
| 1987 | 1.28 million tonnes | -3.8% |
| 1988 | 1.32 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 1.47 million tonnes | +10.8% |
| 1990 | 1.47 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 1.46 million tonnes | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 1.64 million tonnes | +11.9% |
| 1993 | 1.66 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 1.74 million tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1995 | 1.99 million tonnes | +14.5% |
| 1996 | 1.99 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 2.09 million tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 2.09 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 2.22 million tonnes | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 2.26 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 2.29 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 2.38 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 2.46 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 2.57 million tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 2.82 million tonnes | +9.7% |
| 2006 | 2.87 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 2.71 million tonnes | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 2.93 million tonnes | +7.9% |
| 2009 | 3.45 million tonnes | +17.9% |
| 2010 | 3.27 million tonnes | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 3.19 million tonnes | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 2.85 million tonnes | -10.6% |
| 2013 | 3.24 million tonnes | +13.6% |
| 2014 | 3.14 million tonnes | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 3.16 million tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 3.24 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 3.45 million tonnes | +6.3% |
| 2018 | 3.45 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.51 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 3.53 million tonnes | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 3.71 million tonnes | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 3.67 million tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 3.81 million tonnes | +3.9% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 3.81 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47,552 tonnes, 80.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 3.81 million tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 29,329 tonnes, 129.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Pakistan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +64.6% | 107,779 tonnes | 177,441 tonnes |
| 1963 | +64.3% | 41,160 tonnes | 67,620 tonnes |
| 1966 | +55.7% | 69,242 tonnes | 107,779 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 118,348 tonnes | 41,160 tonnes | 272,566 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 465,522 tonnes | 251,519 tonnes | 775,804 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.10 million tonnes | 832,572 tonnes | 1.47 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.83 million tonnes | 1.46 million tonnes | 2.22 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.67 million tonnes | 2.26 million tonnes | 3.45 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.25 million tonnes | 2.85 million tonnes | 3.51 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.68 million tonnes | 3.53 million tonnes | 3.81 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More agriculture & rural data for Pakistan
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 6.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2302 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 367.4 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.984 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6047 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 23.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 23.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 4.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Pakistan?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Pakistan was 3.81 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 nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.81 million tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 41,160 tonnes in 1962.
- How does Pakistan rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Pakistan ranks 6th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.