A Global Industry at a Glance
Fertilizers are natural resource-based products. Nitrogen fertilizer is produced by capturing nitrogen from the air using a complex chemical reaction. Nitrogen is currently produced in over 78 countries world wide. The primary raw material for nitrogen production is natural gas, but nitrogen can also be produced from coal, fuel oil and naphtha.
The production of phosphate and potash fertilizers begins at the mine. The manufacture of phosphate requires phosphate rock and sulfur. Phosphate rock reserves have been identified in 32 countries world wide, but the economic extraction of the rock is limited to fewer countries, as the top three producing countries account for 68 percent of total world production while the top 12 account for 94 percent.
Potash ore reserves have been identified in 21 countries world wide. Currently, the economic extraction of potash is limited to only 12 countries. Consequently, most countries have to rely on imports to meet demand. Potash is imported by 99 countries world wide as over 80 percent of world potash production is exported.
The United States is the largest importer of fertilizer in the world, with more than half our nitrogen and over 85 percent of our potash coming from international sources.
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