Commodity Origins

Where do fertilizers come from?

Fertilizers covers phosphate fertilizers, phosphate rock, potash, urea. What moves them together: Natural gas prices (nitrogen), export restrictions in China and Russia, phosphate rock and potash geology, crop prices and farmer affordability.

Commodities in this category

Fertilizers commodities with top producers and latest prices
CommodityTop producersLatest price12 months
Phosphate fertilizers
Processed phosphate nutrients, mainly diammonium phosphate (DAP) and triple superphosphate (TSP), applied to crops.		No production table yet$793.5/t
DAP, FOB US Gulf		-0%
Phosphate rock
Sedimentary rock rich in phosphate minerals, mined and acidulated to make phosphate fertilizer.
Phosphate rock: world production by countryShare of world phosphate rock production: China 44%, Morocco 14%, United States 8%, Rest of world 34%.China: 44%Morocco: 14%United States: 8%Rest of world: 34%Share of world phosphate rock production: China 44%, Morocco 14%, United States 8%, Rest of world 34%.
China 44%, Morocco 14%, United States 8% (2025)		$170/t
Morocco, 70% BPL, FOB Casablanca		+11%
Potash
Potassium salts, mostly potassium chloride, mined from ancient seabed deposits and spread as fertilizer.
Potash: world production by countryShare of world potash production: Canada 31%, Russia 20%, China 13%, Rest of world 36%.Canada: 31%Russia: 20%China: 13%Rest of world: 36%Share of world potash production: Canada 31%, Russia 20%, China 13%, Rest of world 36%.
Canada 31%, Russia 20%, China 13% (2025)		$386.9/t
Potassium chloride, standard grade, FOB Vancouver		+9%
Urea
The main nitrogen fertilizer, made by combining ammonia with carbon dioxide; ammonia itself is made from natural gas.		No production table yet$390/t
Urea, FOB Middle East		-23%

Data updated 17 September 2026.