Market Overview

The market for nitrogenous fertilizers was valued at USD 69 billion in 2018, and is projected to reach a value of USD 117.06 billion by 2024, witnessing a CAGR of 3.2% over the forecast period (2019-2024).

The nitrogenous fertilizer market is expected to gain growth, owing to the rising food demand, due to the increasing population and the government funding for the usage of advanced techniques and fertilizer for high productivity, in order to meet the rising demand. Europe and North America are likely to witness steady growth over the forecast period, due to market saturation, while South America and Africa are predicted to exhibit a high growth in the coming years, owing to huge cultivation of rice, corn, and sugarcane in these regions.

Scope of the Report

The International Fertilizer Association defines a fertilizer as “any solid, liquid, gaseous substance containing one or more plant nutrient in known amount, which is applied to soil, directly on plants, or added in aqueous solutions (as in fertigation) to maintain soil fertility, improve crop development, yield, and/or crop quality". The corporations in the fertilizer industry operate in B2B, as well as B2C business format. To eliminate any ’double-count’ error in market estimations, bulk buyers procuring fertilizers for retail sale, after value addition through further processing, are not considered as part of the fertilizer market.

Key Market Trends

Urea - The Major Nitrogenous Fertilizer

Urea is the most widely used nitrogenous fertilizer across the world, primarily because of the high nitrogen content (46%). China and India are the largest producers and consumers of urea in the world. The major exporters of urea are countries rich in natural gas, especially those in the GCC region. According to the International Fertilizer Association (IFA), the global demand for urea is expected to increase at 1.6% per annum, to reach 188 million metric ton, by 2022, while the supply (effective capacity) may reach 197 million metric ton. Over the course of the forecast period, the regional demand for urea is projected to increase in all regions, except Europe, with Latin America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia being the largest contributors.

Asia-Pacific Dominates the Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market

The Asia-Pacific region holds the largest share among all regions in the nitrogenous fertilizer market, accounting for 60% of the total global nitrogenous fertilizer usage. China and India share the largest consumption share in the Asia-Pacific fertilizer market, with China alone accounting for more than 50% of the consumption in the region.

In 2018, rice production in Asia used the highest quantity of nitrogenous fertilizer, accounting for 35% of the total consumption. Oil palm, the second-largest consumer of nitrogenous fertilizer, accounted for 17% of the total fertilizer consumption. Rice and oil palm production growths are expected to remain robust, driven by population and economic growth in the region.

Competitive Landscape

The nitrogenous fertilizer market is fragmented, and the market has a significant presence of Chinese and non-Chinese manufacturers. The top three companies have just about 15% of the nitrogenous fertilizer production capacity. However, there has been some consolidation of the market over the past five years, especially in Europe and North America. The fragmented nature of the market is due to the wide availability of raw material required for the manufacture of nitrogenous fertilizers.

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