2024-01-26 Fertilizers Europe estimate on the evolution of agriculture and the sector (2023-2033)

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 2023 – 2033, which includes estimates on the sector at the European level and in the 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 nutrients consumed in the European Union (EU) during the last three agricultural campaigns (2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23) has been 9.3 million tons of N, 2.3 million tons of P2O5 and 2.5 million tons of K2O. This makes a total of 14.1 million tons of nutrients (N+P2O5+K2O).

- During the last three agricultural seasons, the fertilizable area has been, on average, 123.8 million hectares of cropland, leaving 38 million hectares unfertilized.

- With respect to the fertilizable surface (123.8 million hectares), herbaceous crops have covered a total of 57 percent (33 percent are cereals, 8 percent are oilseed crops and 8 percent are forage crops), while permanent crops (woody) have represented 7 percent and grasslands 33 percent.

- Taking into account the economic perspectives and the possible evolution of crop areas in Europe, FE forecasts a consumption of 9.2 million tons of N, 2.4 million tons of P2O5 and 2.6 million tons of K2O. This makes a total of 14.2 million tons of nutrients, a consumption 1 percent higher than current consumption. It is estimated that by then the fertilizable surface will be 123.7 million hectares.


The document: “Forecast of food, farming and fertilizer use in the European Union 2023 – 2033” It is available at the following link: https://www.fertilizerseurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Forecast-2023-33-Studio-web.pdf