Demand, 1995 to 2024

World nitrogen fertiliser demand (N)

World agricultural use of nitrogen was 115.4 Mt N in 2024, 2.8% more than in 2023. China was the largest user, with 24.7 Mt N (21% of world use).

Get the full world nitrogen fileUSD490 World Phosphate (P₂O₅)Potash (K₂O) Supply side

World demand of N, 2024 +2.8% vs 2023

World demand, 1995-2024

Tonnes of N, consumed in agriculture; hover for values.

kt N.

Year	World demand
2024	115,358
2023	112,265
2022	109,456
2021	113,179
2020	114,777
2019	108,666
2018	108,786
2017	109,728
2016	107,846
2015	107,308
2014	108,569
2013	107,120
2012	105,359
2011	105,189
2010	101,529
2009	97,281
2008	94,818
2007	96,465
2006	93,711
2005	91,878
2004	89,918
2003	87,473
2002	83,906
2001	80,942
2000	80,241
1999	82,326
1998	80,466
1997	80,838
1996	79,253
1995	78,290

Latest 10 years shown. for the full history since 1995, every view and the table.

FertRadar, from FAO and national statistics, gaps filled with graded estimatesAbout this data

By region, 2024

Demand, tonnes of N. UN M49 regions.

RegionDemand

1Southern Asia 28.7 Mt 2Eastern Asia 25.3 Mt 3Northern America 14.6 Mt 4Latin America and the Caribbean 12.1 Mt 5South-eastern Asia 8.2 Mt 6Eastern Europe 6.4 Mt 7Western Europe 3.5 Mt 8Oceania 3.2 Mt 9Sub-Saharan Africa 3.0 Mt 10Western Asia 2.6 Mt 11Southern Europe 2.2 Mt 12Northern Europe 2.1 Mt 13Northern Africa 1.9 Mt 14Central Asia 1.5 Mt

Largest consumers, 2024

Tonnes of N, share of world demand, grade.

CountryDemandShareGrade

1China 24.7 Mt21%B 2India 22.1 Mt19%A 3United States 11.4 Mt9.9%C 4Brazil 7.0 Mt6.1%B 5Pakistan 3.8 Mt3.3%C 6Canada 3.2 Mt2.8%A 7Indonesia 3.0 Mt2.6%C 8Australia 2.8 Mt2.4%B 9Russia 2.2 Mt1.9%A 10Türkiye 1.9 Mt1.7%A

Ranks 6 to 10 with a free account, and the full ranking with Pro.

PRO+10 more countries in the full rankingUnlock with Pro

Data pack: World nitrogen fertiliser market (N)

World, every product containing N (14 products): trade 1995-2025, exporters and importers, demand and supply by country with grades, trade balance, prices, list of producers.

World tradeWorld trade of every product containing N: volume (kt product) and N content (kt N).28 rows
ExportersExporters of each product in the latest year: rank, volume, value, unit value, share of world.280 rows
ImportersImporters of each product in the latest year: rank, volume, value, unit value, share of world.280 rows
DemandAgricultural consumption of N by country, kt N.210 rows
Demand gradesData quality grade of each value in "Demand".210 rows
SupplyProduction of N by country, kt N.210 rows
Supply gradesData quality grade of each value in "Supply".210 rows
Trade balanceExports minus imports of N, kt N, by country and product family (raw materials and intermediates apart).571 rows
PricesWorld Bank benchmarks, monthly averages, nominal US dollars per tonne of product (gas per MMBtu).321 rows
ProducersProducers with nitrogen figures on FertRadar (their figures are in the Nitrogen producers pack and in Pro).39 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.

The full file

PROIncluded in your Pro subscription

14 products, 210 countries, 1995 to 2025

13 sheets, 2,359 rows. Formats: Excel (.xlsx) and CSV (one file per sheet, plus the same data in long form for databases and BI tools).

This file is being prepared. Write to contact@fertradar.com if you need it now.

Get Pro PROThis file and every other, updated monthly

Paid through Paddle, our reseller, which issues the invoice. Terms of sale and refund policy.

Free sample: every sheet, column, source and definition, at most 3 rows of data in each sheet.

Samples open soon.

About this data

Methodology

Definitions2

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).
Grades: A official or provisional, B FAO estimate or imputation, C FertRadar estimate anchored on independent data, D FertRadar statistical estimate.

Sources and reliability3

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.

FAO, FAOSTAT (CC BY 4.0)
U.S. Geological Survey, USGS Minerals Yearbook (Public domain)
United Nations Statistics Division, Standard country or area codes for statistical use

The document, page and date behind each figure are listed in the Pro data files. Sources and licences

Notes4

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.
World production exceeds agricultural use (15% in 2024: N 12%, P₂O₅ 17%, K₂O 24%). The difference is non-agricultural use (industrial ammonia and urea, technical and feed phosphates, potash for chemicals and de-icing), changes in stocks and losses: USGS estimates that about 85% of US potash and 88% of US ammonia go to fertilisers. Production here counts potash at the mine and N and P₂O₅ in fertiliser products, so the same nitrogen or phosphate can be counted again in compounds made from imported straights.

How to cite

FertRadar (2026), "World nitrogen fertiliser demand (N)", fertradar.com, https://fertradar.com/demand/nitrogen/, Release 2026.10.