Fertilizer major crop nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potash – all naturally occurring elements in the environment – which are “fed” to plants and crops for healthy and abundant food production. Crops need nutrients to grow and be productive – just like humans.

Fertilizers are 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 worldwide. 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. for lists and map of mining and production facilities.

Download the full U.S. Fertilizer Production and Mining Facilities Report for lists and map of mining and production facilities.