Overview
This system provides annual data on U.S. imports and exports of
selected fertilizer types. These data are based on U.S. Merchandise
Imports and Exports, released monthly by the U.S. Department of
Commerce, Foreign Trade Division. The Economic Research Service
(ERS), in collaboration with The Fertilizer Institute, updates the
data and maintains the year-to-date fertilizer files.
The data reported here cover imports from 1995 to 2011 and
exports from 1990 to 2011 for 26 major fertilizer products and
materials, and for 82 major trading countries. See the Documentation
for definitions and list of fertilizer products and their
composition.
U.S. nitrogen and potash supplies largely depend on imports.
More than 54 percent of nitrogen and 85 percent of potash supply in
the U.S. in 2011 (the latest full year of production data
available) was from imports. Read a brief synopsis of current
nitrogen, potash, and phosphpate supplies.
The data are accessible two ways:
- Standard
tables provide material quantity and value for selected
fertilizers. There is one table on U.S. imports, by country,
1995-2011, and one table on U.S. exports, by country,
1990-2011.
- Custom queries allow users to prepare
individual reports by selecting desired years, countries,
fertilizer products, and import or export.