Top Fertiliser Importing Countries: Who Buys the Most and Where Demand Is Heading

Brazil is the largest fertiliser importer in the world, by value and by tonnes. UN Comtrade-based data show Brazil at about 16 billion USD in 2023 and about 15 billion USD in 2024, ahead of India and the United States. The top exporters are China, Canada, the United States, Morocco and Saudi Arabia (2023 value), with Russia leading on tonnes in 2025. Only potash (MOP) is 100% imported by India.

Which country is the largest importer of fertilizer?

Brazil. It ranks first in every value series I could open: about 16 billion USD in 2023 and about 15 billion USD in 2024. India and the United States share second and third place, and which one is second depends on the year and the data set.

The table below shows value (what importers paid), not tonnes. The product group is HS Chapter 31, which covers all mineral and chemical fertilisers. Values are in US dollars and move with prices, so a year of high prices lifts a country's rank even if it buys fewer tonnes.

Sources: Trendeconomy HS 31 data for 2023 (world imports just over 96 billion USD; some countries missing for that year) and Statista citing UN Comtrade for 2024. India falls from 10.4 to 7.7 billion USD between the two columns. That gap is a warning: different data sets, different reporting dates, and a 2023 price peak all feed into it. Always quote the year and the source with the number.

How do importers rank by tonnes, and why does it differ from the value ranking?

By tonnes in the first half of 2026, Brazil is still first, but the United States moves to second and India to third. Tonnes count only the weight shipped, so cheap bulk products, such as potash and ammonium sulphate, count more than their dollar value suggests.

Source: Fertilizer Daily, 28 September 2026. It uses HS Chapter 31, covers January to June only, and leaves out the EU. The five countries together bought about 57.7 million tonnes, up about 7.6% on the same months of 2025 (the article's figures). Treat this as a half-year snapshot, not a final annual table.

Why Numbers Differ: The same country can show different tonnage in different places. Fertilizer Daily gives the US 14.44 Mt for six months of 2026 using HS Chapter 31, while farmdoc daily, using US Geological Survey data on nutrient products, shows US imports of about 10 to 11 Mt for a full year. The definitions are not the same (product weight versus selected nutrient products). When you quote a figure, copy the source, the period and the product scope with it.

Which countries import the most nitrogen, phosphate and potash?

There is no single clean world ranking by nutrient that I could open and quote, but country data show a clear pattern: Brazil is heavily dependent on all three, the US imports mostly potash, and India imports all its potash and a large share of its phosphate.

Brazil and US figures are from farmdoc daily, April 2026, which draws on national data and USGS. India figures are from the PIB Amrit Kaal note. Reading across: potash is the most traded nutrient because few countries have deposits. Nitrogen is the most affected by gas prices and conflict. Phosphate depends on rock, sulphur and ammonia, and in 2026 sulphur costs became a concern (Fertilizer Daily). For more on who holds potash and phosphate, see our guide to potash and phosphate supply by producing country.

Why does Brazil import so much fertilizer?

Brazil farms a very large area of soybean, corn, sugarcane and coffee on soils that need heavy fertiliser, but it makes little of its own. Imports supplied about 88% of its fertiliser use in 2025, so the usual "about 85%" figure is slightly low for the latest year.

• Volumes (2025): deliveries to the market hit a record 49 million tonnes, imports a record 43.3 million tonnes, and home production stayed near 7.2 million tonnes. From 2021 to 2025, imports rose from about 39.3 to 43.3 million tonnes while production stayed near 7 million (farmdoc daily).
• Dependence by nutrient: 95% of nitrogen, 72% of phosphate and 96% of potash are imported. Potash comes mainly from Canada, Russia and Belarus.
• Home capacity is small: a new phosphate complex opened in 2024 with 1 million tonnes a year of capacity, which helps but does not change the picture.
• Timing: the purchase window for the 2026/27 soybean crop opens in the second half of the year, so Brazil is the first market to feel a supply shock.

Brazil's first-half 2026 imports fell 5.7% to 18.31 million tonnes, per Fertilizer Daily. Reports in that article say ammonium sulphate imports overtook urea in volume and that high sulphur costs tightened phosphate supply. I could not confirm those two points from a second source.

Which fertilizer does India import 100%?

Muriate of potash (MOP). The PIB feature of 3 August 2025 says that for MOP, "100% is still imported". India has no exploitable potash reserves, so every tonne is bought abroad. The common claim that India imports 100% of DAP or urea is wrong.

The PIB figures do not add up neatly (503 produced plus 177 imported is more than 601 consumed), and the note does not explain the gap, which may be stock, exports and use in non-farm sectors. By my calculation, 177 divided by 601 is about 29%, but this ratio is not stated by PIB. Note that "made at home" does not mean "made from home inputs": the phosphate rock, ammonia, phosphoric acid and gas used for DAP and urea are also largely imported. I have not quoted a percentage for that because I could not find a sourced figure. For the shortage side of this story, read our post on the DAP and urea shortage in India.

Where does India import fertilizer from?

India buys from a wide group of countries, led by Gulf suppliers, Russia, and North African producers. The most recent official-reply data I could open cover April to June 2026, and they show a sharp shift after the Gulf disruption.

Source: Rural Voice, 5 August 2026. The article lists volumes by country for June urea, but those volumes do not add up to the monthly total, so I give the names only. Long-term supply deals reported in July 2026 (PTI): about 31 lakh tonnes a year of DAP from Saudi Arabia, about 26.5 lakh tonnes of DAP and NPK from Russia, and 4.8 lakh tonnes of MOP agreements, with Germany and Turkmenistan also named. Summary articles based on Indian Express reporting say Gulf countries supplied about 75% of urea imports, with Saudi Arabia the largest DAP source and Russia the top MOP source (year not stated; VERIFY). I found no official, full country-wise table for 2024-25 or 2025-26, so I cannot rank India's suppliers by tonnes with confidence.

Year-to-year, the totals are rising. PTI reported that urea imports were 103.50 lakh tonnes and DAP imports 61.94 lakh tonnes in 2025-26, compared with 56.47 lakh tonnes of urea in 2024-25. The DAP comparison base in that report (45.69 lakh tonnes) does not match the 49.72 lakh tonnes in the Lok Sabha reply, so use the 2025-26 totals with care.

What do the United States, EU and Australia import?

The United States is a potash buyer, the EU is a buyer of nitrogen and potash that now faces tariffs and a carbon charge, and Australia is a urea buyer that depends on the Gulf.

United States

Domestic industry supplies nearly 60% of US demand for N, P and K combined. The import gap is potash (95% imported, with Canada giving 79% in 2021-24 and Russia 12%). Nitrogen is only 13% imported and phosphate 16% (2025), per farmdoc daily. Total NPK use fell from about 45.9 to 41.9 million tonnes from 2021 to 2025. In the 2023 value table the US is third, at 9.8 billion USD.

European Union

About half of EU fertiliser supply comes from third countries, according to a joint statement of 12 EU farm and food associations (3 December 2025, starch.eu). Two policy costs now sit on EU imports. First, tariffs on Russian and Belarusian nitrogen fertilisers are being phased in over two years, says the World Bank (December 2025 blog). A trade paper reported a figure of 45 EUR a tonne on Russian NPK from July 2025 rising to 70 EUR in July 2026 (search snippet; VERIFY). Second, the EU carbon border mechanism (CBAM) covers fertilisers in its definitive period from 2026. The 12 associations warned it could add 10 to 15% to fertiliser prices in 2026 in the lowest estimates and over 30% in some. These are industry estimates made before final values were fixed. In August 2026 the Commission published guidance that includes a dedicated fertiliser guide. France was the fifth-largest importer by value in 2023.

Australia

Australia imports mostly nitrogen. Its first-half 2026 imports were 5.39 million tonnes, up 10.1% (Fertilizer Daily). Argus Media reported on 16 April 2026 that Australia brings about 60% of its urea through the Strait of Hormuz, and that Southeast Asia gave 32% of its 2025 urea imports, with Brunei at 11% and Malaysia at 10% (Australian Bureau of Statistics data). A first cargo of 47,250 tonnes of Indonesian urea reached Australia in June 2026.

What is happening to China's fertilizer imports and exports?

China is the fourth-largest importer by value (5.6 billion USD in 2023) and also the world's largest fertiliser exporter by value. In 2026 it restricted exports while its own imports jumped, mostly potash.

• Imports: 9.61 million tonnes in January to June 2026, up 38.6% on 2025. Preliminary customs data put January to July at 11.02 million tonnes, up 44.7% (Fertilizer Daily). China mainly imports potassium chloride.
• Export curbs: in mid-March 2026, China reportedly stopped exports of nitrogen-potassium blends and some phosphate products. Urea was already under quotas. Industry estimates say half to three-quarters of its fertiliser exports are restricted, which may affect up to 40 million tonnes. China exported more than 13 billion USD of fertiliser in the previous year. The measures were not formally announced (PotatoPro, from Western Producer, 23 March 2026).
• Earlier pattern: the World Bank says China's nitrogen exports fell by more than 90% year on year in 2024, and curbs continued through the first half of 2025, with urea exports picking up later in 2025.
• Easing signs: a news report in late May 2026 said new urea export quotas had been issued (search result; VERIFY). I could not confirm the status of phosphate curbs after August 2026.

Importers that rely on Chinese product include Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, New Zealand and India, according to the same PotatoPro report. PTI also reported in July 2026 that China withheld some speciality fertiliser exports to India, and Indian firms turned to water-soluble fertiliser from Belgium, Egypt, Germany, Morocco and the USA. See our water-soluble fertiliser bulk guide for the product side.

Which are the top importers in Southeast Asia and Africa?

In Southeast Asia, Thailand and Indonesia are the biggest buyers by value (2.3 and 2.0 billion USD in 2023). In Africa, Ethiopia is the biggest importer by tonnes. Africa is a low-use region, so its import need is large but money-limited.

Southeast Asia

Thailand ranked ninth and Indonesia tenth among world importers in 2023 (Trendeconomy). Yet the region is also a urea exporter: Argus reports regional production of 13.5 million tonnes in 2025 against demand of about 8.15 million tonnes, with Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Vietnam as the main exporters. I found no 2025 import data for Vietnam, Malaysia or the Philippines that I could open.

Africa

Source: IFDC data via the Africa Fertiliser platform, reported by Ecofin Agency for 2024. West African buyers also include Ghana and Togo, but I found no 2024 tonnage for them that I could confirm. Use per hectare is low. FAO data reported by Africa Sustainability Matters put average use at 22.6 kg per hectare in 2023, up from 16.3 kg in 2000, against a world average of 116.4 kg. Egypt used 407.4 kg per hectare, Kenya 44.8 kg and Nigeria 3.5 kg in the same report. The long-standing Abuja target is 50 kg per hectare. At the May 2024 Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi, leaders committed to triple domestic production and distribution of certified organic and inorganic fertilisers by 2034 and to give at least 70% of smallholders agronomic advice by then (African Union summary). Africa's plan reaches for both mineral and organic inputs.

Who are the top fertilizer exporting countries?

By value in 2023, the top five were China, Canada, the United States, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. By tonnes in 2025, Russia is reported to lead, with about 43 million tonnes. The two lists differ because Russia is missing from the value table and because each exporter sells a different mix.

The world export total in that source is just over 68 billion USD for 2023, with 121 reporting countries, and Vietnam, Trinidad and Tobago, Korea and Albania are missing for that year (same Trendeconomy page). Russia and Belarus are not in the table, so it understates both. The "Known for" column is my summary of product strengths, not from that source. Russia: the Agriculture Minister said Russia exported about 43 million tonnes worth over 11 billion USD in 2025 (TASS). Another report quotes the Russian fertiliser producers' association at 45 million tonnes and a 19% share of world trade (search result; VERIFY). Qatar and the other Gulf states are major urea and ammonia exporters. farmdoc daily states that Gulf countries were the largest regional exporters of urea and ammonia, and second in DAP and MAP, in 2023 to 2025. Belarus is a major potash supplier that remains under EU sanctions (World Bank). For where these exporters mine and make nutrients, see the sibling guide on potash and phosphate supply.

What is driving fertilizer import demand in 2025 and 2026?

Six forces move import demand right now: war and shipping risk, export curbs, energy costs, crop-price affordability, subsidies and trade policy. The first two dominate 2026.

FAO's Director-General told a May 2026 event that the situation is "a systemic shock" and that the biggest effects may come later, when growers cut area or application. FAO asks governments to avoid export restrictions and to support intercropping and better nitrogen efficiency. Also from late 2025, Rabobank expected demand to dip in 2026 as prices rise, citing FAO for global demand of about 200 million tonnes in 2024/25 (a 6% rise, just under the 2020 record of 203 million). That Rabobank view was written before the 2026 supply shock.

What do these numbers mean for Indian fertilizer and bio-input exporters?

Do not chase the biggest importer on the list. The top buyers by value mostly purchase bulk urea, DAP and potash, a market Indian firms mostly do not export. The openings for Indian exporters are in specialty and bio-based products, where import-dependent countries are looking for alternatives.

• Bulk fertiliser is a buyer's market for India, not a selling one. India imports more than it exports in the main grades, and 2026 supply is tight. Exporters of urea, DAP and MOP are not the Indian story.
• Speciality and water-soluble products are where trade is shifting. If China withholds speciality fertiliser, buyers in India and elsewhere will look for other suppliers. Read our agrochemical exporters guide for how exporting works from India.
• Bio-inputs and biostimulants: I found no sourced bio-input import figures by country, so I do not give a market size. The gap itself matters: check each target country's registration rules before quoting. In India, the starting point is the FCO rules for biostimulant manufacturers.
• Importing countries with low use per hectare (Africa at 22.6 kg per hectare) may suit lower-dose, nutrient-efficient and organic products, because buyers there are cost-limited. That is my reading, not a sourced forecast.
• Own-brand supply: buyers who want a branded product made in India can look at private label fertiliser manufacturing.

What does this mean for fertilizer dealers in India?

Expect volatile availability and price moves in grades India depends on. DAP is the most exposed of the three main fertilisers, since only about 40% is made at home, and MOP is fully imported. Urea has the biggest domestic cushion.

Where is global fertilizer demand heading? Outlook to 2027

Prices are expected to rise in 2026 and ease in 2027, while volumes may soften where farmers cannot afford inputs. The only forecasts I use here come from the World Bank and FAO statements. I could not read the IFA 2026-2030 medium-term numbers.

• World Bank, April 2026: fertiliser price index to rise about 31% in 2026 (more than 30%), and ease in 2027 as exports recover and more supply comes online. The 2026 rise is below the 2021 (over 100%) and 2022 (over 55%) spikes. Upside risks: higher energy prices, prolonged Hormuz constraints, and unknown damage to plants and export terminals (World Bank blog).
• World Bank, October 2025 (before the 2026 shock): urea -7% in 2026 and -9% in 2027, DAP -8% in each year. These numbers are now overtaken and I show them only so you do not quote them as current.
• FAO, May 2026: farming with fewer inputs is expected to lower yields later in 2026 and in 2027 (reported by news outlets; VERIFY against FAO text). FAO asks for more financing for import-dependent countries.
• IFA: published its 2026-2030 medium-term outlook on 19 May 2026. The public summary page opened but the figures were in a PDF I could not read.
• Russia's own view: the producers' association head expects at least 46 million tonnes of exports in 2026 (search result; an industry claim; VERIFY).

In plain terms: the countries that import most (Brazil, India, the US, China) will stay the main buyers, but their ranking by tonnes can swing from one year to the next, as India and China did in the first half of 2026. Always check the date on a ranking before using it.

Conclusion

Brazil is the biggest fertiliser importer by value and by tonnes, with India, the United States and China following, though their order changes with the year, the data source and whether you count dollars or tonnes. India's only 100% imported fertiliser is potash (MOP); DAP and urea are partly made at home. The main exporters are China, Canada, the US, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Russia. In 2026 the shipping disruption through the Strait of Hormuz, China's export curbs, the EU carbon border charge and weak affordability drive demand. For Indian exporters, speciality and bio-based lines are the better bet than bulk grades. For dealers, MOP and DAP carry the most supply risk. Use the tables with their year and source, and refresh them each quarter.