Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in New Zealand
New Zealand: Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 16.3 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
16.3 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
down 41.8%
World rank
66th
of 201 countries
All-time high
51.08 kilograms per hectare
in 2001
All-time low
16.3 kilograms per hectare
in 2023
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland 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 kilograms per hectare.
Analysis
In 2023, phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in New Zealand stood at 16.3 kilograms per hectare. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 41.8% on the previous year and down 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in New Zealand peaked at 51.08 kilograms per hectare in 2001 and was at its lowest, 16.3 kilograms per hectare, in 2023.
That places New Zealand 66th out of 201 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 21.8 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 24.45 kilograms per hectare | +12.2% |
| 1963 | 29.24 kilograms per hectare | +19.6% |
| 1964 | 38.79 kilograms per hectare | +32.7% |
| 1965 | 36.37 kilograms per hectare | -6.2% |
| 1966 | 32.59 kilograms per hectare | -10.4% |
| 1967 | 30.01 kilograms per hectare | -7.9% |
| 1968 | 34.51 kilograms per hectare | +15.0% |
| 1969 | 35.66 kilograms per hectare | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 34.16 kilograms per hectare | -4.2% |
| 1971 | 36.91 kilograms per hectare | +8.1% |
| 1972 | 37.23 kilograms per hectare | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 47.47 kilograms per hectare | +27.5% |
| 1974 | 31.98 kilograms per hectare | -32.6% |
| 1975 | 41.01 kilograms per hectare | +28.2% |
| 1976 | 39.48 kilograms per hectare | -3.7% |
| 1977 | 42.35 kilograms per hectare | +7.3% |
| 1978 | 44.15 kilograms per hectare | +4.3% |
| 1979 | 44.29 kilograms per hectare | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 36 kilograms per hectare | -18.7% |
| 1981 | 34.73 kilograms per hectare | -3.5% |
| 1982 | 33.73 kilograms per hectare | -2.9% |
| 1983 | 37.47 kilograms per hectare | +11.1% |
| 1984 | 35.32 kilograms per hectare | -5.7% |
| 1985 | 31.91 kilograms per hectare | -9.7% |
| 1986 | 26.17 kilograms per hectare | -18.0% |
| 1987 | 27.46 kilograms per hectare | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 18.99 kilograms per hectare | -30.8% |
| 1989 | 26.55 kilograms per hectare | +39.8% |
| 1990 | 22.79 kilograms per hectare | -14.2% |
| 1991 | 28.61 kilograms per hectare | +25.5% |
| 1992 | 33.93 kilograms per hectare | +18.6% |
| 1993 | 40.86 kilograms per hectare | +20.4% |
| 1994 | 41.11 kilograms per hectare | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 41.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 40.96 kilograms per hectare | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 40.33 kilograms per hectare | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 40 kilograms per hectare | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 42.87 kilograms per hectare | +7.2% |
| 2000 | 48.58 kilograms per hectare | +13.3% |
| 2001 | 51.08 kilograms per hectare | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 36.49 kilograms per hectare | -28.6% |
| 2003 | 39.15 kilograms per hectare | +7.3% |
| 2004 | 39.75 kilograms per hectare | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 45.59 kilograms per hectare | +14.7% |
| 2006 | 41.45 kilograms per hectare | -9.1% |
| 2007 | 37.5 kilograms per hectare | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 31.51 kilograms per hectare | -16.0% |
| 2009 | 20.94 kilograms per hectare | -33.5% |
| 2010 | 22.98 kilograms per hectare | +9.7% |
| 2011 | 26.85 kilograms per hectare | +16.8% |
| 2012 | 24.9 kilograms per hectare | -7.3% |
| 2013 | 21.93 kilograms per hectare | -11.9% |
| 2014 | 22.91 kilograms per hectare | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 26.7 kilograms per hectare | +16.5% |
| 2016 | 22.12 kilograms per hectare | -17.2% |
| 2017 | 27.24 kilograms per hectare | +23.1% |
| 2018 | 26.32 kilograms per hectare | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 24.68 kilograms per hectare | -6.2% |
| 2020 | 25.04 kilograms per hectare | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 19.35 kilograms per hectare | -22.7% |
| 2022 | 28.02 kilograms per hectare | +44.8% |
| 2023 | 16.3 kilograms per hectare | -41.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 31.49 kilograms per hectare | 21.8 kilograms per hectare | 38.79 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 39.9 kilograms per hectare | 31.98 kilograms per hectare | 47.47 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.83 kilograms per hectare | 18.99 kilograms per hectare | 37.47 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 37.27 kilograms per hectare | 22.79 kilograms per hectare | 42.87 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.2 kilograms per hectare | 20.94 kilograms per hectare | 51.08 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.66 kilograms per hectare | 21.93 kilograms per hectare | 27.24 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.18 kilograms per hectare | 16.3 kilograms per hectare | 28.02 kilograms per hectare | 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 phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in New Zealand?
- Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in New Zealand was 16.3 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 51.08 kilograms per hectare in 2001.
- What is the lowest phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.3 kilograms per hectare in 2023.
- How does New Zealand rank for phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- New Zealand ranks 66th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 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.