FAOSTAT: Land, Inputs and Sustainability: Fertilizers by Nutrient

The Fertilizers by Product dataset contains information on the Production, Trade and Agriculture Use of inorganic (chemical or mineral) fertilizers products. The fertilizer statistics data are for a set of 23 product categories. Both straight and compound fertilizers are included. Methodological details can be found at: https://files-faostat.fao.org/production/RFB/RFB_EN_README.pdf

The FAOSTAT Fertilizers trade matrix domain contains information on bilateral trade in terms of nutrient tonnes for the three main plant nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (expressed as P2O5), and potassium (expressed as K2O). It also provides data in tonnes of products and nutrients for various fertilizer products

The Cropland Nutrient balance domain contains information on the flows of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from mineral fertilizer, manure applied, atmospheric deposition, crop removal, and biological fixation over cropland and per unit area of cropland. The flows are aggregated to total inputs and total outputs, from which the overall nutrient balance and nutrient use efficiency on cropland are calculated. Statistics are disseminated in units of tonnes and in kg/ha, as appropriate. Nutrient use efficiency is expressed as a fraction (%).

The Fertilizer archive dataset contains information on the Production, Trade and Consumption of chemical and mineral fertilizers products, both in total nutrients and in amount of product, over the time series 1961 to 2002. The dataset also contains data on Prices paid by farmers expressed in local currencies (as a consequence no country aggregates are available) for single fertilizer products. This dataset is an archive and it is disseminated as it was in the previous FAOSTAT System. No dataset updates made or to be made in the future.

Fertilizer consumption measures the quantity of plant nutrients and is calculated as production plus imports minus exports. Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Traditional nutrients--animal and plant manures--are not included. Because some chemical compounds used for fertilizers have other industrial applications, the consumption data may overstate the quantity available for crops. Fertilizer consumption as a share of production shows the agriculture sector's vulnerability to import and energy price fluctuation. Most fertilizers that are commonly used in agriculture contain the three basic plant nutrients-nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Some fertilizers also contain certain micronutrients such as zinc and other metals that are necessary for plant growth. Materials that are applied to the land primarily to enhance soil characteristics (rather than as plant food) are commonly referred to as soil amendments.

The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions from Crops provides estimates of emissions associated with crop processes, namely 1) crop residues, 2) burning of crop residues, and 3) rice cultivation and the application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers, including mineral and chemical fertilizers, to soils. Estimates are computed at Tier 1 following the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National greenhouse gas (GHG) Inventories (IPCC, 2006).