Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in South Africa
South Africa: Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 14.99 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
14.99 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
down 11.8%
World rank
72nd
of 201 countries
All-time high
20.89 kilograms per hectare
in 2021
All-time low
2.47 kilograms per hectare
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in South Africa, 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 potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in South Africa is 14.99 kilograms per hectare, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 11.8% on the previous year and up 49.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in South Africa peaked at 20.89 kilograms per hectare in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.47 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
That places South Africa 72nd 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.
Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.47 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 2.87 kilograms per hectare | +16.2% |
| 1963 | 3.29 kilograms per hectare | +14.6% |
| 1964 | 5.16 kilograms per hectare | +56.8% |
| 1965 | 5.48 kilograms per hectare | +6.2% |
| 1966 | 6.16 kilograms per hectare | +12.4% |
| 1967 | 6.24 kilograms per hectare | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 6.94 kilograms per hectare | +11.2% |
| 1969 | 6.43 kilograms per hectare | -7.3% |
| 1970 | 6.92 kilograms per hectare | +7.6% |
| 1971 | 7.41 kilograms per hectare | +7.1% |
| 1972 | 8.36 kilograms per hectare | +12.8% |
| 1973 | 9.13 kilograms per hectare | +9.2% |
| 1974 | 9.09 kilograms per hectare | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 9.13 kilograms per hectare | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 9.35 kilograms per hectare | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 9.67 kilograms per hectare | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 9.28 kilograms per hectare | -4.0% |
| 1979 | 9.02 kilograms per hectare | -2.8% |
| 1980 | 9.95 kilograms per hectare | +10.3% |
| 1981 | 11.19 kilograms per hectare | +12.5% |
| 1982 | 10.9 kilograms per hectare | -2.6% |
| 1983 | 8.72 kilograms per hectare | -20.0% |
| 1984 | 10.02 kilograms per hectare | +14.9% |
| 1985 | 9.65 kilograms per hectare | -3.7% |
| 1986 | 8.88 kilograms per hectare | -8.0% |
| 1987 | 7.68 kilograms per hectare | -13.5% |
| 1988 | 9.58 kilograms per hectare | +24.7% |
| 1989 | 8.85 kilograms per hectare | -7.6% |
| 1990 | 9.41 kilograms per hectare | +6.3% |
| 1991 | 8.42 kilograms per hectare | -10.5% |
| 1992 | 8.44 kilograms per hectare | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 8.56 kilograms per hectare | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 8.5 kilograms per hectare | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 9.18 kilograms per hectare | +8.0% |
| 1996 | 9.2 kilograms per hectare | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 8.39 kilograms per hectare | -8.8% |
| 1998 | 10.17 kilograms per hectare | +21.2% |
| 1999 | 8.69 kilograms per hectare | -14.6% |
| 2000 | 8.71 kilograms per hectare | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 8.56 kilograms per hectare | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 8.72 kilograms per hectare | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 8.26 kilograms per hectare | -5.3% |
| 2004 | 9.63 kilograms per hectare | +16.6% |
| 2005 | 7.76 kilograms per hectare | -19.4% |
| 2006 | 10.62 kilograms per hectare | +36.9% |
| 2007 | 9.5 kilograms per hectare | -10.5% |
| 2008 | 7.61 kilograms per hectare | -19.9% |
| 2009 | 7.64 kilograms per hectare | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 7.43 kilograms per hectare | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 8.75 kilograms per hectare | +17.8% |
| 2012 | 8.99 kilograms per hectare | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 10.01 kilograms per hectare | +11.3% |
| 2014 | 10.07 kilograms per hectare | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 9.57 kilograms per hectare | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 9.06 kilograms per hectare | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 9.85 kilograms per hectare | +8.7% |
| 2018 | 18.59 kilograms per hectare | +88.7% |
| 2019 | 17.47 kilograms per hectare | -6.0% |
| 2020 | 18.53 kilograms per hectare | +6.1% |
| 2021 | 20.89 kilograms per hectare | +12.7% |
| 2022 | 17 kilograms per hectare | -18.6% |
| 2023 | 14.99 kilograms per hectare | -11.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 kilograms per hectare | 2.47 kilograms per hectare | 6.94 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 8.74 kilograms per hectare | 6.92 kilograms per hectare | 9.67 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.54 kilograms per hectare | 7.68 kilograms per hectare | 11.19 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.9 kilograms per hectare | 8.39 kilograms per hectare | 10.17 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.7 kilograms per hectare | 7.61 kilograms per hectare | 10.62 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.98 kilograms per hectare | 7.43 kilograms per hectare | 18.59 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.85 kilograms per hectare | 14.99 kilograms per hectare | 20.89 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 69 Eswatini 15.32 kilograms per hectare compare
- 70 United Arab Emirates 15.3 kilograms per hectare compare
- 71 Austria 15.12 kilograms per hectare compare
- 73 Italy 14.65 kilograms per hectare compare
- 74 Lebanon 14.62 kilograms per hectare compare
- 75 Dominican Republic 14.3 kilograms per hectare compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in South Africa?
- Potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in South Africa was 14.99 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 20.89 kilograms per hectare in 2021.
- What is the lowest potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.47 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- South Africa ranks 72nd out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is potash fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
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About this data
Average potash fertilizer application rate, measured in kilograms of total nutrient per hectare of cropland.