Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Canada
Canada: Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 29.36 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▲ Rising
Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Canada, 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, phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Canada stood at 29.36 kilograms per hectare.
That represents a change of up 10.8% on the previous year and up 30.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Canada peaked at 31.09 kilograms per hectare in 2020 and was at its lowest, 5.36 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
That places Canada 29th out of 201 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.
Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Canada, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.36 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 6.03 kilograms per hectare | +12.5% |
| 1963 | 6.42 kilograms per hectare | +6.5% |
| 1964 | 7.07 kilograms per hectare | +10.1% |
| 1965 | 8.78 kilograms per hectare | +24.2% |
| 1966 | 9.76 kilograms per hectare | +11.2% |
| 1967 | 10.4 kilograms per hectare | +6.6% |
| 1968 | 8.09 kilograms per hectare | -22.2% |
| 1969 | 7.37 kilograms per hectare | -8.9% |
| 1970 | 8.45 kilograms per hectare | +14.7% |
| 1971 | 8.77 kilograms per hectare | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 10.71 kilograms per hectare | +22.1% |
| 1973 | 12.71 kilograms per hectare | +18.7% |
| 1974 | 12.86 kilograms per hectare | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 12.84 kilograms per hectare | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 12.8 kilograms per hectare | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 15.01 kilograms per hectare | +17.3% |
| 1978 | 15.82 kilograms per hectare | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 15.65 kilograms per hectare | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 15.73 kilograms per hectare | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 15.65 kilograms per hectare | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 15.95 kilograms per hectare | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 17.38 kilograms per hectare | +9.0% |
| 1984 | 17.78 kilograms per hectare | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 16.96 kilograms per hectare | -4.6% |
| 1986 | 15.02 kilograms per hectare | -11.4% |
| 1987 | 15.24 kilograms per hectare | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 14.78 kilograms per hectare | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 14.67 kilograms per hectare | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 13.94 kilograms per hectare | -5.0% |
| 1991 | 14.3 kilograms per hectare | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 14.88 kilograms per hectare | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 15.4 kilograms per hectare | +3.5% |
| 1994 | 15.21 kilograms per hectare | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 15.95 kilograms per hectare | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 17.06 kilograms per hectare | +7.0% |
| 1997 | 17.4 kilograms per hectare | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 16.19 kilograms per hectare | -7.0% |
| 1999 | 16.23 kilograms per hectare | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 13.87 kilograms per hectare | -14.5% |
| 2001 | 14.93 kilograms per hectare | +7.6% |
| 2002 | 16.09 kilograms per hectare | +7.8% |
| 2003 | 16.96 kilograms per hectare | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 15.22 kilograms per hectare | -10.3% |
| 2005 | 17.42 kilograms per hectare | +14.5% |
| 2006 | 15.61 kilograms per hectare | -10.4% |
| 2007 | 19.05 kilograms per hectare | +22.0% |
| 2008 | 17.37 kilograms per hectare | -8.8% |
| 2009 | 14.68 kilograms per hectare | -15.5% |
| 2010 | 17.19 kilograms per hectare | +17.1% |
| 2011 | 21.95 kilograms per hectare | +27.7% |
| 2012 | 20.37 kilograms per hectare | -7.2% |
| 2013 | 22.58 kilograms per hectare | +10.8% |
| 2014 | 24.65 kilograms per hectare | +9.2% |
| 2015 | 26.1 kilograms per hectare | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 25.09 kilograms per hectare | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 26.45 kilograms per hectare | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 29.08 kilograms per hectare | +9.9% |
| 2019 | 29.14 kilograms per hectare | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 31.09 kilograms per hectare | +6.7% |
| 2021 | 28.47 kilograms per hectare | -8.4% |
| 2022 | 26.51 kilograms per hectare | -6.9% |
| 2023 | 29.36 kilograms per hectare | +10.8% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 29.36 kilograms per hectare is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.24 kilograms per hectare, 1.8× the median. (67 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.7 kilograms per hectare | 5.36 kilograms per hectare | 10.4 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 12.56 kilograms per hectare | 8.45 kilograms per hectare | 15.82 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.92 kilograms per hectare | 14.67 kilograms per hectare | 17.78 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.66 kilograms per hectare | 13.94 kilograms per hectare | 17.4 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.12 kilograms per hectare | 13.87 kilograms per hectare | 19.05 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.26 kilograms per hectare | 17.19 kilograms per hectare | 29.14 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.86 kilograms per hectare | 26.51 kilograms per hectare | 31.09 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More agriculture & rural data for Canada
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 31.61 % change on previous year (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,092 current US$ per person (2022)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.0803 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1712 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.9% (2022)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.9% (2022)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Canada?
- Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Canada was 29.36 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 phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 31.09 kilograms per hectare in 2020.
- What is the lowest phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.36 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does Canada rank for phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- Canada ranks 29th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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 Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Application of phosphate fertilizer, measured in kilograms of total nutrient per hectare.