Nitrogen fertilizer production in China 2000-2023

The production volume of nitrogen fertilizer in China peaked in 2015 at 49.7 million metric tons. Output dropped to 34.6 million metric tons in 2018 and increased gradually thereafter. In 2023, production volume of nitrogen fertilizer in China saw an increase to 39.7 million metric tons. 

Chemical fertilizers

The total production volume of chemical fertilizers, namely nitrogen, phosphate, and potash fertilizers, amounted to almost 57 million metric tons in 2023. With an annual production of 39.7 million metric tons in 2023, nitrogen fertilizer is the dominant one among types of chemical fertilizer being produced in China. Meanwhile, with an annual consumption volume of 50.2 million tons in the 2023, most of the chemical fertilizers produced were consumed domestically. The regions which consumed the most chemical fertilizers in China is Henan, Shandong, Anhui, and Hebei.

International trade

Despite the large domestic production capacity for fertilizer in China, the country is importing considerably amounts. Fertilizer imports to China have been fluctuating between eight and eleven million metric tons over the last decade. The import volume of fertilizer reached its peak in 2023 with a total of 13.08 million tons. This amount had an import value of over 5.5 billion U.S. dollars.