Nitrogen fertilizer use in South Africa
South Africa: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 420,638 tonnes in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
420,638 tonnes
Change on year
down 22.3%
World rank
33rd
of 202 countries
All-time high
618,738 tonnes
in 2021
All-time low
54,476 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Nitrogen fertilizer use in South Africa, 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 South Africa is 420,638 tonnes, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 22.3% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in South Africa peaked at 618,738 tonnes in 2021 and was at its lowest, 54,476 tonnes, in 1961.
That places South Africa 33rd out of 202 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Nitrogen fertilizer use in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 54,476 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 70,686 tonnes | +29.8% |
| 1963 | 85,000 tonnes | +20.3% |
| 1964 | 93,100 tonnes | +9.5% |
| 1965 | 98,500 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 1966 | 97,900 tonnes | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 131,000 tonnes | +33.8% |
| 1968 | 143,900 tonnes | +9.8% |
| 1969 | 150,000 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1970 | 180,600 tonnes | +20.4% |
| 1971 | 208,400 tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1972 | 253,000 tonnes | +21.4% |
| 1973 | 231,100 tonnes | -8.7% |
| 1974 | 230,153 tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 285,316 tonnes | +24.0% |
| 1976 | 315,941 tonnes | +10.7% |
| 1977 | 343,002 tonnes | +8.6% |
| 1978 | 378,901 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 1979 | 400,287 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1980 | 466,385 tonnes | +16.5% |
| 1981 | 528,569 tonnes | +13.3% |
| 1982 | 475,900 tonnes | -10.0% |
| 1983 | 367,900 tonnes | -22.7% |
| 1984 | 409,100 tonnes | +11.2% |
| 1985 | 379,000 tonnes | -7.4% |
| 1986 | 372,900 tonnes | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 328,200 tonnes | -12.0% |
| 1988 | 380,874 tonnes | +16.0% |
| 1989 | 375,231 tonnes | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 377,600 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 358,100 tonnes | -5.2% |
| 1992 | 363,000 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 411,603 tonnes | +13.4% |
| 1994 | 375,100 tonnes | -8.9% |
| 1995 | 386,000 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 405,000 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 405,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 406,000 tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 413,000 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 415,900 tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 393,000 tonnes | -5.5% |
| 2002 | 477,072 tonnes | +21.4% |
| 2003 | 420,827 tonnes | -11.8% |
| 2004 | 427,571 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 347,260 tonnes | -18.8% |
| 2006 | 428,719 tonnes | +23.5% |
| 2007 | 439,480 tonnes | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 424,123 tonnes | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 414,000 tonnes | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 395,000 tonnes | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 419,000 tonnes | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 425,000 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 404,000 tonnes | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 395,000 tonnes | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 357,000 tonnes | -9.6% |
| 2016 | 327,000 tonnes | -8.4% |
| 2017 | 470,000 tonnes | +43.7% |
| 2018 | 507,931 tonnes | +8.1% |
| 2019 | 535,207 tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 588,395 tonnes | +9.9% |
| 2021 | 618,738 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 541,671 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 2023 | 420,638 tonnes | -22.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 420,638 tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 54,228 tonnes, 7.8× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 420,638 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15,117 tonnes, 27.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 102,729 tonnes | 54,476 tonnes | 150,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 282,670 tonnes | 180,600 tonnes | 400,287 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 408,406 tonnes | 328,200 tonnes | 528,569 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 390,040 tonnes | 358,100 tonnes | 413,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 418,795 tonnes | 347,260 tonnes | 477,072 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 423,514 tonnes | 327,000 tonnes | 535,207 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 542,360 tonnes | 420,638 tonnes | 618,738 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in South Africa?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in South Africa was 420,638 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 618,738 tonnes in 2021.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 54,476 tonnes in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- South Africa ranks 33rd out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.