Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States
United States: Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 23.73 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
23.73 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
37th
of 201 countries
All-time high
27.02 kilograms per hectare
in 2012
All-time low
13.63 kilograms per hectare
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States, 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
United States recorded 23.73 kilograms per hectare for phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in 2023.
That represents a change of down 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States peaked at 27.02 kilograms per hectare in 2012 and was at its lowest, 13.63 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
That places United States 37th 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 United States, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 13.63 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 15.04 kilograms per hectare | +10.3% |
| 1963 | 16.28 kilograms per hectare | +8.2% |
| 1964 | 17.45 kilograms per hectare | +7.2% |
| 1965 | 18.98 kilograms per hectare | +8.8% |
| 1966 | 21.16 kilograms per hectare | +11.5% |
| 1967 | 22.61 kilograms per hectare | +6.9% |
| 1968 | 22.73 kilograms per hectare | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 21.9 kilograms per hectare | -3.7% |
| 1970 | 22.44 kilograms per hectare | +2.5% |
| 1971 | 23.12 kilograms per hectare | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 23.95 kilograms per hectare | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 24.47 kilograms per hectare | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 22.86 kilograms per hectare | -6.6% |
| 1975 | 23.81 kilograms per hectare | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 26.36 kilograms per hectare | +10.7% |
| 1977 | 25.58 kilograms per hectare | -3.0% |
| 1978 | 25.71 kilograms per hectare | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 26.18 kilograms per hectare | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 25.86 kilograms per hectare | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 24.09 kilograms per hectare | -6.8% |
| 1982 | 21.07 kilograms per hectare | -12.5% |
| 1983 | 21.97 kilograms per hectare | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 22.73 kilograms per hectare | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 20.89 kilograms per hectare | -8.1% |
| 1986 | 19.48 kilograms per hectare | -6.7% |
| 1987 | 19.71 kilograms per hectare | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 19.91 kilograms per hectare | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 20.55 kilograms per hectare | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 20.57 kilograms per hectare | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 20.34 kilograms per hectare | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 21.19 kilograms per hectare | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 22.01 kilograms per hectare | +3.9% |
| 1994 | 21.99 kilograms per hectare | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 22.1 kilograms per hectare | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 22.91 kilograms per hectare | +3.7% |
| 1997 | 23.24 kilograms per hectare | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 22.23 kilograms per hectare | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 21.84 kilograms per hectare | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 21.8 kilograms per hectare | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 22.82 kilograms per hectare | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 22.15 kilograms per hectare | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 25.23 kilograms per hectare | +13.9% |
| 2004 | 24.57 kilograms per hectare | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 24.05 kilograms per hectare | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 24.88 kilograms per hectare | +3.5% |
| 2007 | 23.42 kilograms per hectare | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 17.45 kilograms per hectare | -25.5% |
| 2009 | 23.34 kilograms per hectare | +33.8% |
| 2010 | 24.29 kilograms per hectare | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 24.81 kilograms per hectare | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 27.02 kilograms per hectare | +8.9% |
| 2013 | 26.91 kilograms per hectare | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 24.37 kilograms per hectare | -9.4% |
| 2015 | 24.75 kilograms per hectare | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 24.7 kilograms per hectare | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 24.99 kilograms per hectare | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 25.31 kilograms per hectare | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 24.95 kilograms per hectare | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 25.78 kilograms per hectare | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 24.35 kilograms per hectare | -5.5% |
| 2022 | 23.73 kilograms per hectare | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 23.73 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 18.86 kilograms per hectare | 13.63 kilograms per hectare | 22.73 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 24.45 kilograms per hectare | 22.44 kilograms per hectare | 26.36 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.63 kilograms per hectare | 19.48 kilograms per hectare | 25.86 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.84 kilograms per hectare | 20.34 kilograms per hectare | 23.24 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.97 kilograms per hectare | 17.45 kilograms per hectare | 25.23 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.21 kilograms per hectare | 24.29 kilograms per hectare | 27.02 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.4 kilograms per hectare | 23.73 kilograms per hectare | 25.78 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More agriculture & rural data for United States
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.96 % change on previous year (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0094 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 673.66 current US$ per person (2021)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1831 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1981 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.9% (2021)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.9% (2021)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States?
- Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States was 23.73 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 27.02 kilograms per hectare in 2012.
- What is the lowest phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.63 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does United States rank for phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- United States ranks 37th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States 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.