Reasons for the decline in consumption
The decline in mineral fertilizer consumption in the EU in 2022 was partly linked to a sharp increase in fertilizer prices following Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions on Russia.
Consumption of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers
In the case of mineral fertilisers, the use of nitrogen fertilizers in EU agricultural production decreased to an estimated 8.9 million tonnes in 2022, a decline of 9.4%. Every year.
The use of nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture was highest in those countries that are also among the main agricultural producers in the EU, especially France (2.0 million tonnes) and Germany (1.1 million tonnes).
In 2022, the consumption of phosphorus fertilizers in EU agriculture amounted to 0.9 million tonnes. This represented a decrease of 17.9%. compared to the amount used in 2021
The countries with the highest consumption of phosphorus fertilizers in agriculture in 2022 were France, Spain, Italy and Romania; together they accounted for around half of total consumption in the EU.
