The tonne of product refers to the mass of the commercial fertiliser as sold and shipped, including all its constituents. The tonne of nutrient corresponds to the mass of the pure plant nutrient contained within that product, expressed in nitrogen (N), P₂O₅ or K₂O equivalent.
This distinction underpins any interpretation of market statistics. Global consumption of nitrogen fertilisers for agricultural use reached 112.4 million tonnes of nutrient in 2020, whilst the EU-27 absorbed 9.1 million tonnes of nutrient during the 2021/22 campaign[1]. The three main cereals — wheat, rice and maize — alone account for roughly half of worldwide fertiliser use, measured in tonnes of nutrient[2][3].
Sources
- Fertilizers Europe, Facts & Figures 2023, p. 7 · View the source
- Yara, Fertilizer Industry Handbook 2022, p. 33 · View the source
- Yara, Fertilizer Industry Handbook 2025, p. 34 · View the source
Original text by fertiliser-market.com. Facts and figures are taken from the documents cited, at the page given; no text, table or chart is reproduced from them.
Updated October 27, 2026