The consumption of mineral fertilizers (nitrogen and phosphorus) in agricultural production in the EU was 10.9 million tonnes in 2022, equivalent to a 2.2% decrease compared to 2020 and a cumulative decrease of 6.4% compared to the relative peak in 2017, according to Eurostat.

The consumption of nitrogen-based fertilizers in agriculture was estimated at 9.8 million tonnes in the EU in 2021, a year-on-year decrease of 2.0%, a rate similar to the short-term trend observed since 2017.

However, in the medium to long term, the total nitrogen fertilizer consumption returned to a level similar to a decade earlier.

The consumption of nitrogen-based fertilizers in agriculture in 2021 was highest in countries that are also among the main agricultural producers in the EU. France (2.0 million tonnes), Germany (1.3 million tonnes), Poland (1.0 million tonnes, 2020 data), and Spain (1.0 million tonnes) together represented half of the total EU consumption.

In 2021, the consumption of phosphorus fertilizers in agriculture was 1.1 million tonnes. This represented a decrease of 3.8% compared to the 2020 level, although at a level that was similar to the average of the previous decade.

Countries with the highest consumption of phosphorus-based fertilizers in agriculture in 2022 were France, Spain, Poland, Romania, Italy, and Germany. Their consumption accounted for almost three-quarters of the total EU usage.

Although there are no available data for 2023 yet, it is important to note that the military aggression in Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions against Russia have led to strong price increases for fertilizers, which are likely to affect fertilizer usage in agriculture in the EU. (European Commission).

The nitrogen fertilizer industry in the EU has been heavily dependent on gas from Russia. Additionally, Russia and Belarus have been key players in the global production of rock-based fertilizers (phosphates and especially potassium).