Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in China
China: Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 69.08 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
69.08 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
12th
of 201 countries
All-time high
89.38 kilograms per hectare
in 2016
All-time low
0.23 kilograms per hectare
in 1962
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in China, 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, potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in China stood at 69.08 kilograms per hectare.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in China peaked at 89.38 kilograms per hectare in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.23 kilograms per hectare, in 1962.
That places China 12th out of 201 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in China, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.34 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 0.23 kilograms per hectare | -32.4% |
| 1963 | 0.29 kilograms per hectare | +26.1% |
| 1964 | 0.34 kilograms per hectare | +17.2% |
| 1965 | 0.45 kilograms per hectare | +32.4% |
| 1966 | 0.57 kilograms per hectare | +26.7% |
| 1967 | 0.74 kilograms per hectare | +29.8% |
| 1968 | 0.81 kilograms per hectare | +9.5% |
| 1969 | 0.7 kilograms per hectare | -13.6% |
| 1970 | 0.88 kilograms per hectare | +25.7% |
| 1971 | 0.72 kilograms per hectare | -18.2% |
| 1972 | 0.71 kilograms per hectare | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 2.34 kilograms per hectare | +229.6% |
| 1974 | 2.49 kilograms per hectare | +6.4% |
| 1975 | 2.08 kilograms per hectare | -16.5% |
| 1976 | 1.75 kilograms per hectare | -15.9% |
| 1977 | 1.89 kilograms per hectare | +8.0% |
| 1978 | 2.35 kilograms per hectare | +24.3% |
| 1979 | 3.94 kilograms per hectare | +67.7% |
| 1980 | 4.82 kilograms per hectare | +22.3% |
| 1981 | 6.93 kilograms per hectare | +43.8% |
| 1982 | 6.12 kilograms per hectare | -11.7% |
| 1983 | 7.74 kilograms per hectare | +26.5% |
| 1984 | 6.86 kilograms per hectare | -11.4% |
| 1985 | 3.5 kilograms per hectare | -49.0% |
| 1986 | 5.7 kilograms per hectare | +62.9% |
| 1987 | 10.97 kilograms per hectare | +92.5% |
| 1988 | 12.84 kilograms per hectare | +17.0% |
| 1989 | 10.03 kilograms per hectare | -21.9% |
| 1990 | 14.19 kilograms per hectare | +41.5% |
| 1991 | 18.16 kilograms per hectare | +28.0% |
| 1992 | 14.93 kilograms per hectare | -17.8% |
| 1993 | 11.78 kilograms per hectare | -21.1% |
| 1994 | 18.1 kilograms per hectare | +53.7% |
| 1995 | 22.21 kilograms per hectare | +22.7% |
| 1996 | 19.92 kilograms per hectare | -10.3% |
| 1997 | 26.3 kilograms per hectare | +32.0% |
| 1998 | 26.81 kilograms per hectare | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 26.07 kilograms per hectare | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 26.68 kilograms per hectare | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 30.9 kilograms per hectare | +15.8% |
| 2002 | 36.22 kilograms per hectare | +17.2% |
| 2003 | 35.36 kilograms per hectare | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 41.2 kilograms per hectare | +16.5% |
| 2005 | 53.6 kilograms per hectare | +30.1% |
| 2006 | 46.35 kilograms per hectare | -13.5% |
| 2007 | 62.04 kilograms per hectare | +33.9% |
| 2008 | 44.84 kilograms per hectare | -27.7% |
| 2009 | 35.79 kilograms per hectare | -20.2% |
| 2010 | 54.17 kilograms per hectare | +51.4% |
| 2011 | 66.96 kilograms per hectare | +23.6% |
| 2012 | 69.23 kilograms per hectare | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 66.46 kilograms per hectare | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 82.72 kilograms per hectare | +24.5% |
| 2015 | 76.77 kilograms per hectare | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 89.38 kilograms per hectare | +16.4% |
| 2017 | 76.51 kilograms per hectare | -14.4% |
| 2018 | 75.3 kilograms per hectare | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 72.96 kilograms per hectare | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 71.35 kilograms per hectare | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 71.1 kilograms per hectare | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 69.6 kilograms per hectare | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 69.08 kilograms per hectare | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.4967 kilograms per hectare | 0.23 kilograms per hectare | 0.81 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.91 kilograms per hectare | 0.71 kilograms per hectare | 3.94 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.55 kilograms per hectare | 3.5 kilograms per hectare | 12.84 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.85 kilograms per hectare | 11.78 kilograms per hectare | 26.81 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.3 kilograms per hectare | 26.68 kilograms per hectare | 62.04 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.05 kilograms per hectare | 54.17 kilograms per hectare | 89.38 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.28 kilograms per hectare | 69.08 kilograms per hectare | 71.35 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in China?
- Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in China was 69.08 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 potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 89.38 kilograms per hectare in 2016.
- What is the lowest potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.23 kilograms per hectare in 1962.
- How does China rank for potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- China ranks 12th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland. 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
Average potash fertilizer application rate, measured in kilograms of total nutrient per hectare of cropland.