Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 46.45 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▲ Rising
Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sri Lanka, 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
The most recent figure for nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sri Lanka is 46.45 kilograms per hectare, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 7.6% on the previous year and down 16.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sri Lanka peaked at 100.88 kilograms per hectare in 2020 and was at its lowest, 19.25 kilograms per hectare, in 1963.
That places Sri Lanka 90th 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.
Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 23.69 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 29.87 kilograms per hectare | +26.1% |
| 1963 | 19.25 kilograms per hectare | -35.6% |
| 1964 | 20.54 kilograms per hectare | +6.7% |
| 1965 | 22.64 kilograms per hectare | +10.2% |
| 1966 | 24 kilograms per hectare | +6.0% |
| 1967 | 23.18 kilograms per hectare | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 29.66 kilograms per hectare | +28.0% |
| 1969 | 25.94 kilograms per hectare | -12.5% |
| 1970 | 26.93 kilograms per hectare | +3.8% |
| 1971 | 30 kilograms per hectare | +11.4% |
| 1972 | 26.86 kilograms per hectare | -10.5% |
| 1973 | 29.71 kilograms per hectare | +10.6% |
| 1974 | 28.83 kilograms per hectare | -3.0% |
| 1975 | 20.89 kilograms per hectare | -27.5% |
| 1976 | 26.72 kilograms per hectare | +27.9% |
| 1977 | 32.8 kilograms per hectare | +22.8% |
| 1978 | 39.85 kilograms per hectare | +21.5% |
| 1979 | 40.21 kilograms per hectare | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 47.96 kilograms per hectare | +19.3% |
| 1981 | 41.1 kilograms per hectare | -14.3% |
| 1982 | 42.76 kilograms per hectare | +4.0% |
| 1983 | 44.41 kilograms per hectare | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 53.59 kilograms per hectare | +20.7% |
| 1985 | 54.23 kilograms per hectare | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 52.6 kilograms per hectare | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 54.83 kilograms per hectare | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 55.85 kilograms per hectare | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 57.09 kilograms per hectare | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 48.63 kilograms per hectare | -14.8% |
| 1991 | 50.35 kilograms per hectare | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 53.65 kilograms per hectare | +6.6% |
| 1993 | 61.2 kilograms per hectare | +14.1% |
| 1994 | 65.75 kilograms per hectare | +7.4% |
| 1995 | 61.47 kilograms per hectare | -6.5% |
| 1996 | 62.3 kilograms per hectare | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 64.88 kilograms per hectare | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 75.29 kilograms per hectare | +16.0% |
| 1999 | 85.98 kilograms per hectare | +14.2% |
| 2000 | 82.45 kilograms per hectare | -4.1% |
| 2001 | 82.91 kilograms per hectare | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 98.29 kilograms per hectare | +18.6% |
| 2003 | 77.42 kilograms per hectare | -21.2% |
| 2004 | 88.31 kilograms per hectare | +14.1% |
| 2005 | 88.46 kilograms per hectare | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 88.06 kilograms per hectare | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 83.2 kilograms per hectare | -5.5% |
| 2008 | 97.05 kilograms per hectare | +16.6% |
| 2009 | 83.76 kilograms per hectare | -13.7% |
| 2010 | 76.19 kilograms per hectare | -9.0% |
| 2011 | 91.43 kilograms per hectare | +20.0% |
| 2012 | 71.42 kilograms per hectare | -21.9% |
| 2013 | 55.54 kilograms per hectare | -22.2% |
| 2014 | 99.06 kilograms per hectare | +78.4% |
| 2015 | 65.24 kilograms per hectare | -34.1% |
| 2016 | 50.99 kilograms per hectare | -21.8% |
| 2017 | 47.29 kilograms per hectare | -7.3% |
| 2018 | 29.02 kilograms per hectare | -38.6% |
| 2019 | 60.59 kilograms per hectare | +108.8% |
| 2020 | 100.88 kilograms per hectare | +66.5% |
| 2021 | 50.27 kilograms per hectare | -50.2% |
| 2022 | 50.27 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 46.45 kilograms per hectare | -7.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 24.31 kilograms per hectare | 19.25 kilograms per hectare | 29.87 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 30.28 kilograms per hectare | 20.89 kilograms per hectare | 40.21 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.44 kilograms per hectare | 41.1 kilograms per hectare | 57.09 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 62.95 kilograms per hectare | 48.63 kilograms per hectare | 85.98 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 86.99 kilograms per hectare | 77.42 kilograms per hectare | 98.29 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.68 kilograms per hectare | 29.02 kilograms per hectare | 99.06 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.97 kilograms per hectare | 46.45 kilograms per hectare | 100.88 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More agriculture & rural data for Sri Lanka
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 9.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0836 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 418.3 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9172 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7955 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 8.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 8.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.7% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sri Lanka?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sri Lanka was 46.45 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 nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 100.88 kilograms per hectare in 2020.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.25 kilograms per hectare in 1963.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- Sri Lanka ranks 90th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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 per hectare of cropland. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Application of nitrogen fertilizer, measured in kilograms of total nutrient per hectare of cropland.