Zambia fertiliser market: trade, demand and supply
Zambia exported 1.0 Mt of sulphur in 2025 (estimate), 2.6% of world exports (the 10th largest exporter).
Years up to 2024 are complete annual data; only 2025, the latest year, is a FertRadar estimate: trade from the monthly customs declarations (UN Comtrade), production from the output reported for 2025. Agricultural use is shown to 2024, the latest year with reported data.
What Zambia trades, 2025
24 products, tonnes of productProducts
Select a row to see the partners. World rank among exporters (X) and importers (M).
| Product | Exports | Imports | Net | Rank X | Rank M | Supplier concentration PRO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 1.0 Mt | 405 kt | +632 kt | #10 | #14 | ••• |
| Sulphuric acid | 492 kt | 13 kt | +479 kt | #14 | #56 | n/a |
| Urea | 0.5 kt | 422 kt | −422 kt | #107 | #27 | ••• |
| Ammonium nitrate | 7 kt | 163 kt | −156 kt | #45 | #13 | ••• |
| NPK compound fertilisers | 108 kt | 56 kt | +52 kt | #23 | #53 | ••• |
| Other nitrogenous fertilisers | 0.1 kt | 98 kt | −98 kt | #76 | #6 | ••• |
| Monoammonium phosphate | 3 kt | 88 kt | −85 kt | #43 | #20 | ••• |
| Ammonium sulphate | 0 kt | 86 kt | −86 kt | #48 | ••• | |
| Other fertilisers n.e.c. | 2 kt | 72 kt | −71 kt | #63 | #13 | ••• |
| Diammonium phosphate | 5 kt | 62 kt | −57 kt | #37 | #39 | ••• |
| Calcium nitrate (double salts with AN) | 0.6 kt | 52 kt | −52 kt | #42 | #16 | n/a |
| Muriate of potash | 0 kt | 48 kt | −48 kt | #61 | n/a | |
| Calcium ammonium nitrate | 31 kt | 0.1 kt | +31 kt | #21 | #87 | n/a |
| Other potassic fertilisers | 0.1 kt | 20 kt | −20 kt | #62 | #24 | n/a |
| Sulphate of potash | 0 kt | 17 kt | −17 kt | #29 | n/a | |
| Other ammonium double salts and mixtures | 0 kt | 12 kt | −12 kt | #73 | #21 | n/a |
| Nitrophosphates | 0 kt | 2 kt | −2 kt | #51 | #35 | n/a |
| Sodium nitrate | 0 kt | 1 kt | −1 kt | #61 | #44 | n/a |
| PK fertilisers | 0 kt | 0.7 kt | −0.7 kt | #61 | n/a | |
| Other NP (incl. NPS, APS) | 0 kt | 0.5 kt | −0.5 kt | #100 | n/a | |
| Other phosphatic fertilisers | 0 kt | 0.5 kt | −0.5 kt | #64 | n/a | |
| Phosphoric acid | 0 kt | 0.4 kt | −0.4 kt | #90 | #103 | n/a |
| Anhydrous ammonia | 0 kt | 0.1 kt | −0.1 kt | #94 | #92 | n/a |
| Potassium nitrate | 0 kt | 0.1 kt | −0.1 kt | #104 | n/a |
Download: exports and imports in kt of product, one unit per column.
Sulphur: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
Sulphuric acid: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
Urea: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
Ammonium nitrate: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
NPK compound fertilisers: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
Other nitrogenous fertilisers: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
Monoammonium phosphate: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
Ammonium sulphate: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Other fertilisers n.e.c.: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
Diammonium phosphate: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
Calcium nitrate (double salts with AN): partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
No customer above the publication threshold.
Muriate of potash: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Calcium ammonium nitrate: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
Other potassic fertilisers: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
No customer above the publication threshold.
Sulphate of potash: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Other ammonium double salts and mixtures: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Nitrophosphates: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Sodium nitrate: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
PK fertilisers: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Other NP (incl. NPS, APS): partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Other phosphatic fertilisers: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Phosphoric acid: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Anhydrous ammonia: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Potassium nitrate: partners
Share of Zambia's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Main products over time
Six largest products of 2025 on each side, tonnes of product.
kt product.
| Year | Sulphur | Sulphuric acid | NPK compound fertilisers | Calcium ammonium nitrate | Ammonium nitrate | Diammonium phosphate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (estimate) | 1,036 | 492 | 108 | 30.7 | 7.00 | 4.90 |
| 2024 | 346 | 479 | 99.6 | 28.1 | 4.80 | 7.00 |
| 2023 | 570 | 537 | 45.4 | 20.4 | 3.00 | 0.00 |
| 2022 | 467 | 753 | 1.30 | 11.3 | 5.40 | 0.00 |
| 2021 | 349 | 718 | 4.10 | 6.90 | 2.00 | 0.00 |
| 2020 | 292 | 855 | 0.90 | 6.40 | 3.70 | 0.00 |
| 2019 | 391 | 0.00 | 1.40 | 0.60 | 20.9 | 0.00 |
| 2018 | 268 | 1,827 | 0.30 | 0.00 | 8.70 | 0.10 |
| 2017 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 4.60 | 1.30 |
| 2016 | 4.70 | 470 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 3.00 | 0.10 |
| 2015 | 49.5 | 658 | 0.40 | 0.10 | 1.60 | 0.00 |
| 2014 | 92.4 | 2,241 | 0.60 | 0.00 | 16.8 | 0.00 |
| 2013 | 0.00 | 2,140 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.10 | 0.00 |
| 2012 | 38.8 | 659 | 5.00 | 0.00 | 10.5 | 0.00 |
| 2011 | 41.7 | 310 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.80 | 0.00 |
| 2010 | 0.00 | 4.90 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 13.6 | 0.00 |
| 2009 | 0.00 | 2.20 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 7.00 | 0.00 |
| 2008 | 0.00 | 80.0 | 12.5 | 0.00 | 13.5 | 0.00 |
| 2007 | 3.50 | 27.1 | 0.10 | 0.00 | 2.00 | 0.00 |
| 2006 | 0.60 | 2.60 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.80 | 0.00 |
| 2005 | 2.10 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 0.00 |
| 2004 | 13.2 | 2.10 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 22.4 | 0.00 |
| 2003 | 7.30 | 1.40 | 0.70 | 0.00 | 0.80 | 0.00 |
| 2002 | 4.50 | 4.10 | 0.10 | 0.00 | 0.60 | 0.00 |
| 2001 | 0.00 | 2.80 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.70 | 0.00 |
| 2000 | 0.00 | 2.10 | 0.90 | 0.10 | 0.20 | 0.00 |
| 1999 | 0.00 | 2.20 | 0.30 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.00 |
| 1998 | 0.10 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1997 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1996 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1995 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.20 |
Latest 10 years shown. for the full history since 1995, every view and the table.
Nutrient balance
exports minus imports, tonnes of nutrientkt N, exports minus imports.
| Year | Compounds | Intermediates | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (estimate) | −12.2 | −0.10 | −265 |
| 2024 | −14.7 | −0.10 | −191 |
| 2023 | −20.0 | −0.10 | −193 |
| 2022 | −29.5 | −0.10 | −125 |
| 2021 | −17.6 | −0.30 | −146 |
| 2020 | −36.3 | −0.00 | −196 |
| 2019 | −31.3 | −0.10 | −184 |
| 2018 | −16.5 | −0.00 | −161 |
| 2017 | −31.2 | −0.80 | −242 |
| 2016 | −13.1 | −0.10 | −159 |
| 2015 | −16.6 | −1.40 | −217 |
| 2014 | −16.5 | −0.10 | −152 |
| 2013 | −14.6 | −0.30 | −157 |
| 2012 | −18.0 | −0.80 | −104 |
| 2011 | −19.3 | −0.00 | −144 |
| 2010 | −12.4 | −0.00 | −91.9 |
| 2009 | −7.30 | −0.10 | −109 |
| 2008 | −6.60 | −0.00 | −37.0 |
| 2007 | −9.90 | −0.00 | −42.4 |
| 2006 | −9.70 | −0.00 | −42.6 |
| 2005 | −6.90 | −0.00 | −37.4 |
| 2004 | −11.5 | −0.10 | −50.0 |
| 2003 | −14.6 | −0.00 | −26.6 |
| 2002 | −13.7 | −0.50 | −30.4 |
| 2001 | −11.0 | −0.10 | −16.7 |
| 2000 | −11.6 | −0.80 | −33.9 |
| 1999 | −10.4 | −0.40 | −36.4 |
| 1998 | −3.60 | −0.00 | −11.4 |
| 1997 | −2.70 | −0.00 | −30.1 |
| 1996 | 0.00 | 0.00 | −5.10 |
| 1995 | −1.60 | −0.70 | −13.4 |
Latest 10 years shown. for the full history since 1995, every view and the table.
By product family, 2025
| Family | Exports | Imports | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compounds | 18 kt | 30 kt | −12 kt |
| Intermediates | 0 kt | 0.1 kt | −0.1 kt |
| Nitrogen | 11 kt | 276 kt | −265 kt |
| Family | Exports | Imports | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compounds | 20 kt | 83 kt | −63 kt |
| Intermediates | 0 kt | 0.2 kt | −0.2 kt |
| Phosphate | 0 kt | 0.1 kt | −0.1 kt |
| Raw materials | 0 kt | 0 kt | 0 kt |
| Family | Exports | Imports | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compounds | 16 kt | 9 kt | +8 kt |
| Intermediates | 0 kt | 0 kt | 0 kt |
| Potash | 0 kt | 43 kt | −43 kt |
Demand
agricultural consumption, tonnes of nutrient, 1995-2024kt nutrient, agricultural consumption.
| Year | N | P₂O₅ | K₂O |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 206 | 62.2 | 31.3 |
| 2023 | 232 | 45.9 | 15.6 |
| 2022 | 172 | 41.6 | 31.8 |
| 2021 | 179 | 34.0 | 30.2 |
| 2020 | 192 | 57.8 | 53.6 |
| 2019 | 168 | 49.3 | 39.8 |
| 2018 | 148 | 36.8 | 14.7 |
| 2017 | 211 | 37.3 | 25.8 |
| 2016 | 188 | 38.3 | 16.7 |
| 2015 | 165 | 39.3 | 7.67 |
| 2014 | 138 | 39.2 | 14.6 |
| 2013 | 141 | 30.2 | 10.3 |
| 2012 | 99.3 | 25.5 | 18.2 |
| 2011 | 116 | 26.8 | 22.8 |
| 2010 | 77.6 | 8.43 | 13.1 |
| 2009 | 64.1 | 6.23 | 21.1 |
| 2008 | 53.2 | 8.89 | 55.9 |
| 2007 | 55.8 | 11.6 | 28.0 |
| 2006 | 49.2 | 8.55 | 19.6 |
| 2005 | 51.6 | 4.79 | 19.9 |
| 2004 | 60.2 | 11.4 | 14.0 |
| 2003 | 42.8 | 14.6 | 17.8 |
| 2002 | 40.3 | 13.5 | 13.5 |
| 2001 | 24.2 | 13.4 | 13.5 |
| 2000 | 8.00 | 13.4 | 13.5 |
| 1999 | 10.6 | 13.4 | 13.5 |
| 1998 | 10.6 | 13.4 | 13.5 |
| 1997 | 10.6 | 13.4 | 13.5 |
| 1996 | 6.27 | 13.4 | 13.5 |
| 1995 | 15.4 | 13.4 | 13.5 |
Latest 10 years shown. for the full history since 1995, every view and the table.
Indicators, 2024
Import dependence and growth are part of Pro.
| Indicator | N | P₂O₅ | K₂O |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumption per hectare of cropland, kg (FAO, as published, 2024) | 53.8B | 16.2B | 8.1B |
| Consumption per capita, kg (FAO, as published, 2024) | 9.7B | 2.9B | 1.5B |
| Share of world demand, % | 0.2B | 0.1B | 0.1B |
| Import dependence, net imports / consumption, % PRO | ••• | ••• | ••• |
| Growth of consumption, 5-year compound, % a year PRO | ••• | ••• | ••• |
Supply
production of fertiliser nutrientsProduction, 1995-2025
Tonnes of nutrient produced, each in its own basis.
kt nutrient, production.
| Year | N | P₂O₅ | K₂O |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (estimate) | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2024 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2023 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2022 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2021 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2020 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2019 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2018 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2017 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2016 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2015 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2014 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2013 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2012 | 0.12 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2011 | 0.24 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2010 | 0.37 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2009 | 0.49 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2008 | 0.61 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2007 | 0.73 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2006 | 0.85 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2005 | 0.97 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2004 | 1.09 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2003 | 1.22 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2002 | 1.34 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2001 | 1.46 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2000 | 1.58 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1999 | 1.70 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1998 | 1.70 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1997 | 1.70 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1996 | 1.70 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1995 | 1.70 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Latest 10 years shown. for the full history since 1995, every view and the table.
Self-sufficiency, 2024
Production divided by consumption, by nutrient.
| Indicator | N | P₂O₅ | K₂O |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-sufficiency, production / consumption, % PRO | ••• | ••• | ••• |
Narrow down: Zambia by nutrient and by product
Data pack: Zambia fertiliser market
Zambia, all fertilisers, raw materials and intermediates: demand and supply 1995-2025, trade 1995-2025, partners of the latest year, prices.
- DemandAgricultural consumption of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O, kt of nutrient, with data quality grade.31 rows
- SupplyProduction of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O fertiliser nutrients, kt of nutrient, with grade.31 rows
- IndicatorsIndicators of 2024: total demand, consumption per hectare and per capita, share of world, self-sufficiency, net imports, import dependence, growth.8 rows
- Imports volumeImports by product, kt product, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).29 rows
- Imports valueImports by product, USD million, FOB, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).29 rows
- Imports unit valueImports by product, USD per tonne of product, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).28 rows
- Exports volumeExports by product, kt product, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).26 rows
- Exports valueExports by product, USD million, FOB, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).24 rows
- Exports unit valueExports by product, USD per tonne of product, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).16 rows
- Nutrient balanceExports, imports and balance in kt of nutrient, by nutrient and product family. Raw materials and intermediates shown apart.30 rows
- SuppliersSuppliers by product in the latest year: volume, value, unit value and share.101 rows
- DestinationsDestinations by product in the latest year: volume, value, unit value and share.22 rows
- PricesWorld Bank benchmarks, monthly averages, nominal US dollars per tonne of product (gas per MMBtu).321 rows
- AdjustmentsCorrections FertRadar applied to the customs data behind this file, with their evidence.37 rows
Also in the file: a Read me sheet (contents, units, how to cite, terms of use), the Sources sheet with every source, its licence and address, and the Definitions sheet with grades and notes.
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About this data
MethodologyDefinitions5
- Trade
- Sum of all reported bilateral flows of the product in the year, in tonnes of product, after FertRadar adjustments (phantom tonnes imputed, reclassifications, duplicate codes removed).
- Net imports (D10)
- Imports minus exports of fertilisers in nutrient tonnes, from the FertRadar trade matrix (indicator D10). Raw materials and intermediates excluded.
- Demand
- Demand: agricultural consumption of fertiliser nutrients (N, P₂O₅, K₂O), in tonnes of nutrient. Industrial uses of nitrogen are not included. Official statistics where reported, otherwise graded FertRadar estimates (grades A to D).
- Production
- Production of fertiliser nutrients (N, P₂O₅, K₂O), in tonnes of nutrient, as reported by countries; gaps filled with graded FertRadar estimates. Not mine output: mine production and capacity are shown separately.
- Grades
- A official or provisional, B FAO estimate or imputation, C FertRadar estimate anchored on independent data, D FertRadar statistical estimate.
Sources and reliability5
Official statistics and the producers' own documents only, cleaned and reconciled by FertRadar. Every figure keeps a reference to its document, and every correction to the customs data is documented one by one.
- CEPII, BACI (Etalab Open Licence 2.0)
- United Nations Statistics Division, UN Comtrade
- FAO, FAOSTAT (CC BY 4.0)
- United Nations Statistics Division, Standard country or area codes for statistical use
- Documents cited by the adjustments: CEPII; EuroChem; Interfax; Metals & Mining Intelligence via Vedomosti; OCP Group; Statistics Agency under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Uralkali; USGS; Various companies and regulators
The document, page and date behind each figure are listed in the Pro data files. Sources and licences
Adjustments to the customs data37
FertRadar corrects, reclassifies or annotates customs flows only on documented evidence. Those touching this page: 16 corrections, 13 context notes, 6 reclassifications and 2 known anomalies; 6 confirmed by a published figure, 16 estimated.
Notes9
- Zambia imported 422 kt of urea in 2025 (estimate), 0.7% of world imports (the 27th largest importer).
- Agricultural use of fertiliser nutrients was 300 kt in 2024: 206 kt N, 62 kt P₂O₅ and 31 kt K₂O.
- Exports, imports and balance (exports minus imports) by nutrient and product family. Raw materials and intermediates are shown apart from fertilisers so as not to mix them.
- Trade figures: CEPII BACI with the FertRadar adjustments listed on this page. Tonnes of product unless stated; kt = thousand tonnes, Mt = million tonnes.
- 2025 is a FertRadar estimate from the monthly customs declarations (UN Comtrade), hatched in the charts. Replaced by the annual data when published.
- Values exclude freight and insurance (FOB equivalent). Unit values are customs averages over shipments under different contracts, not market prices.
- Fertiliser use and production: FertRadar best estimate (FAOSTAT values as reported, gaps filled with graded FertRadar estimates). Grades: A official or provisional, B FAO estimate or imputation, C FertRadar estimate anchored on independent data, D FertRadar statistical estimate.
- Years as reported to FAO (some countries report fiscal or fertiliser years). No forecasts.
- Two kinds of production. Nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P₂O₅): fertiliser production, the nutrient contained in the fertiliser products made in the country. Potash (K₂O): mine output, all uses included. Production of raw materials for all uses (phosphate rock, ammonia, sulphur) is shown on the product and capacity pages.
How to cite
FertRadar (2026), "Zambia fertiliser market: trade, demand and supply", fertradar.com, https://fertradar.com/countries/zambia/, Release 2026.10.