Leaching — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in New Zealand

New Zealand: Leaching — Cropland nitrogen per unit area was 6.78 kg/ha in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
6.78 kg/ha
Change on year
down 7.4%
World rank
115th
of 186 countries
All-time high
8.36 kg/ha
in 2017
All-time low
1.56 kg/ha
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Leaching — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in New Zealand, 1961–2023

2468196119922023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kg/ha.

Analysis

In 2023, leaching — cropland nitrogen per unit area in New Zealand stood at 6.78 kg/ha.

That represents a change of down 7.4% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, leaching — cropland nitrogen per unit area in New Zealand peaked at 8.36 kg/ha in 2017 and was at its lowest, 1.56 kg/ha, in 1961.

New Zealand ranks 115th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Leaching — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Leaching — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in New Zealand, 1961 to 2023.
Year kg/ha Change
1961 1.56 kg/ha —
1962 1.58 kg/ha +1.5%
1963 1.62 kg/ha +2.9%
1964 1.67 kg/ha +2.8%
1965 1.69 kg/ha +1.5%
1966 1.76 kg/ha +3.8%
1967 1.78 kg/ha +1.1%
1968 1.93 kg/ha +8.5%
1969 2.01 kg/ha +3.9%
1970 2 kg/ha -0.4%
1971 1.94 kg/ha -2.9%
1972 2.39 kg/ha +23.0%
1973 2.47 kg/ha +3.7%
1974 2.26 kg/ha -8.8%
1975 2.02 kg/ha -10.4%
1976 2.09 kg/ha +3.5%
1977 2.07 kg/ha -1.3%
1978 2.1 kg/ha +1.5%
1979 1.89 kg/ha -9.7%
1980 2 kg/ha +5.6%
1981 1.95 kg/ha -2.5%
1982 2 kg/ha +2.6%
1983 1.98 kg/ha -1.0%
1984 2.08 kg/ha +5.0%
1985 1.92 kg/ha -7.6%
1986 1.9 kg/ha -0.8%
1987 2.21 kg/ha +16.0%
1988 2.14 kg/ha -3.3%
1989 2.13 kg/ha -0.1%
1990 2.6 kg/ha +22.0%
1991 2.94 kg/ha +13.1%
1992 3.42 kg/ha +16.2%
1993 3.72 kg/ha +8.6%
1994 4.19 kg/ha +12.9%
1995 4.8 kg/ha +14.4%
1996 4.46 kg/ha -7.0%
1997 4.46 kg/ha -0.1%
1998 4.66 kg/ha +4.6%
1999 5.11 kg/ha +9.6%
2000 5.98 kg/ha +17.0%
2001 6.68 kg/ha +11.7%
2002 6.99 kg/ha +4.6%
2003 7.62 kg/ha +9.0%
2004 7.83 kg/ha +2.8%
2005 7.85 kg/ha +0.3%
2006 7.51 kg/ha -4.4%
2007 7.01 kg/ha -6.7%
2008 6.99 kg/ha -0.3%
2009 6.32 kg/ha -9.6%
2010 6.63 kg/ha +5.0%
2011 7.39 kg/ha +11.5%
2012 6.89 kg/ha -6.8%
2013 6.56 kg/ha -4.8%
2014 6.64 kg/ha +1.3%
2015 8.32 kg/ha +25.2%
2016 7.54 kg/ha -9.4%
2017 8.36 kg/ha +10.9%
2018 8.12 kg/ha -2.9%
2019 7.63 kg/ha -6.1%
2020 8.09 kg/ha +6.1%
2021 6.72 kg/ha -16.9%
2022 7.33 kg/ha +9.0%
2023 6.78 kg/ha -7.4%

New Zealand compared with similar countries

  • New Zealand's 6.78 kg/ha is below the median for high income countries, which is 13.65 kg/ha, 50% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
  • New Zealand's 6.78 kg/ha is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7.1 kg/ha, 95% of the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 1.73 kg/ha 1.56 kg/ha 2.01 kg/ha 9
1970s 2.12 kg/ha 1.89 kg/ha 2.47 kg/ha 10
1980s 2.03 kg/ha 1.9 kg/ha 2.21 kg/ha 10
1990s 4.04 kg/ha 2.6 kg/ha 5.11 kg/ha 10
2000s 7.08 kg/ha 5.98 kg/ha 7.85 kg/ha 10
2010s 7.41 kg/ha 6.56 kg/ha 8.36 kg/ha 10
2020s 7.23 kg/ha 6.72 kg/ha 8.09 kg/ha 4

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 112 Australia 7.1 kg/ha compare
  2. 113 Australia and New Zealand 7.1 kg/ha compare
  3. 114 Malaysia 7.03 kg/ha compare
  4. 116 Sri Lanka 5.64 kg/ha compare
  5. 117 Eswatini 5.6 kg/ha compare
  6. 118 Cambodia 5.36 kg/ha compare

See the full ranking of 233 places →

More environment data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is leaching — cropland nitrogen per unit area in New Zealand?
Leaching — cropland nitrogen per unit area in New Zealand was 6.78 kg/ha in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest leaching — cropland nitrogen per unit area recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 8.36 kg/ha in 2017.
What is the lowest leaching — cropland nitrogen per unit area recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 1.56 kg/ha in 1961.
How does New Zealand rank for leaching — cropland nitrogen per unit area?
New Zealand ranks 115th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
Is leaching — cropland nitrogen per unit area rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Leaching — Cropland nitrogen per unit area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Leaching — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/leaching-cropland-nitrogen-per-unit-area/new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Leaching — Cropland nitrogen per unit area
Unit
kg/ha
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
233 places, 13,500 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

The Cropland Nutrient balance domain contains information on the flows of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from mineral fertilizer, manure applied, atmospheric deposition, crop removal, and biological fixation over cropland and per unit area of cropland. The flows are aggregated to total inputs and total outputs, from which the overall nutrient balance and nutrient use efficiency on cropland are calculated. Statistics are disseminated in units of tonnes and in kg/ha, as appropriate. Nutrient use efficiency is expressed as a fraction (%).