Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen in India

India: Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen was 17.23 million t in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
17.23 million t
Change on year
down 2.3%
World rank
3rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
17.82 million t
in 2020
All-time low
2.88 million t
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen in India, 1961–2023

5.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M196119922023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.

Analysis

In 2023, nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen in India stood at 17.23 million t.

That represents a change of down 2.3% on the previous year and up 13.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen in India peaked at 17.82 million t in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.88 million t, in 1961.

That places India 3rd out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

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

Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen in India, year by year

Annual values for Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen in India, 1961 to 2023.
Year t Change
1961 2.88 million t —
1962 2.88 million t +0.0%
1963 2.92 million t +1.5%
1964 2.96 million t +1.5%
1965 3.22 million t +8.7%
1966 3.32 million t +3.2%
1967 3.39 million t +2.1%
1968 3.62 million t +6.8%
1969 3.39 million t -6.5%
1970 3.50 million t +3.5%
1971 3.80 million t +8.4%
1972 3.91 million t +3.0%
1973 3.67 million t -6.3%
1974 3.91 million t +6.5%
1975 4.19 million t +7.3%
1976 4.50 million t +7.3%
1977 4.69 million t +4.4%
1978 4.90 million t +4.4%
1979 5.49 million t +12.0%
1980 5.49 million t +0.1%
1981 5.75 million t +4.6%
1982 5.87 million t +2.2%
1983 6.22 million t +5.9%
1984 6.98 million t +12.1%
1985 7.39 million t +5.9%
1986 8.33 million t +12.7%
1987 7.50 million t -10.0%
1988 8.58 million t +14.4%
1989 8.41 million t -2.0%
1990 8.81 million t +4.7%
1991 9.32 million t +5.8%
1992 9.30 million t -0.3%
1993 9.78 million t +5.2%
1994 10.41 million t +6.4%
1995 10.63 million t +2.2%
1996 10.99 million t +3.3%
1997 11.68 million t +6.3%
1998 12.06 million t +3.2%
1999 11.86 million t -1.6%
2000 11.09 million t -6.5%
2001 11.25 million t +1.4%
2002 11.13 million t -1.1%
2003 11.22 million t +0.8%
2004 12.12 million t +8.0%
2005 13.01 million t +7.3%
2006 13.53 million t +4.0%
2007 13.65 million t +0.9%
2008 14.28 million t +4.6%
2009 15.05 million t +5.4%
2010 15.40 million t +2.3%
2011 15.69 million t +1.9%
2012 14.99 million t -4.4%
2013 15.23 million t +1.6%
2014 15.17 million t -0.3%
2015 15.88 million t +4.7%
2016 15.09 million t -5.0%
2017 15.47 million t +2.5%
2018 15.74 million t +1.8%
2019 16.44 million t +4.5%
2020 17.82 million t +8.4%
2021 16.95 million t -4.9%
2022 17.63 million t +4.0%
2023 17.23 million t -2.3%

India compared with similar countries

  • India's 17.23 million t is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50,419 t, 341.8× the median. (40 countries reporting)
  • India's 17.23 million t is above the median for South Asia, which is 79,415 t, 217.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 3.17 million t 2.88 million t 3.62 million t 9
1970s 4.26 million t 3.50 million t 5.49 million t 10
1980s 7.05 million t 5.49 million t 8.58 million t 10
1990s 10.48 million t 8.81 million t 12.06 million t 10
2000s 12.63 million t 11.09 million t 15.05 million t 10
2010s 15.51 million t 14.99 million t 16.44 million t 10
2020s 17.41 million t 16.95 million t 17.82 million t 4

Countries ranked near India

  1. 1 China 20.36 million t compare
  2. 2 China, mainland 19.40 million t compare
  3. 3 Viet Nam 1.49 million t compare
  4. 4 Türkiye 1.05 million t compare
  5. 4 USSR 12.20 million t compare
  6. 5 Brazil 5.32 million t compare
  7. 5 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 951,791 t compare
  8. 6 Pakistan 4.03 million t compare
  9. 6 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 229,476 t compare

See the full ranking of 233 places →

More environment data for India

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen in India?
Nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen in India was 17.23 million t in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen recorded in India?
The highest recorded value was 17.82 million t in 2020.
What is the lowest nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen recorded in India?
The lowest recorded value was 2.88 million t in 1961.
How does India rank for nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen?
India ranks 3rd out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
Is nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen rising or falling in India?
Over the last ten years it is up 13.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this India data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen in India. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/nutrient-balance-cropland-nitrogen/india/

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About this data

Indicator
Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen
Unit
t
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 (%).