2021-03-31 Fertilizers Europe estimate on the evolution of agriculture and the sector 2020-2030

The European Association of Fertilizer Manufacturers (Fertilizers Europe - FE) has recently published the document: "Forecast of food, farming and fertilizer use in the European Union 2020 - 2030", in which it collects estimates on the sector at European level and long term and on the prospects for nutrient consumption by crops and by countries. Below is a summary with some of the forecasts indicated by said Association:

•The average of the nutrients consumed in the European Union (EU) during the last three agricultural seasons (2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20) has been 11.2 million tonnes of N, 2.7 million of tons of P2O5 and 3.1 million tons of K2O. This makes a total of 17 million tons of nutrients (N + P2O5 + K2O).

•During 2019/20, 133.7 million hectares of arable land have been fertilized, leaving another 44.9 million cultivable hectares unfertilized.

•Regarding the fertilized area (133.7 million hectares), herbaceous crops have covered a total of 62 percent (42 percent are cereals, 8 percent oilseeds and 9 percent forage crops), while permanent crops (woody) have represented 9 percent and grasslands 24 percent.

•Taking into account the economic prospects and the possible evolution of the cultivated areas in Europe, FE foresees for within 10 years (agricultural year 2029/30) a consumption of 10.6 million tonnes of N, 2.7 million tonnes of P2O5 and 3.1 million tons of K2O. This makes a total of 16.4 million tons of nutrients. It is estimated that 132.4 million hectares of farmland will be fertilized by then.



The document “Forecast of food, farming and fertilizer use in the European Union 2020 - 2030” is available at the following link on the FE website: https://www.fertilizerseurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Forecast-of-food-farming-and-fertilizer-use-2020-2030-Fertilizers-Europe.pdf