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The Fertilizer Market: 4 Things Investors Need to Know in 2023

by Tessa Di Grandi
This post is by Tessa Di Grandi from Visual Capitalist

Published • Updated •
The following content is sponsored by Brazil Potash


Fertilizer market and what investors need to know in 2023

4 Things Investors Need to Know About the Fertilizer Market in 2023

Food security is of crucial importance many reasons—from ensuring both political and social stability, to supporting the health of the global economy.

You may be surprised to learn that fertilizer plays a crucial role in food security by enhancing the quantity and quality of harvests. In short, fertilizers can make food more affordable and accessible.

The above infographic sponsored by Brazil Potash digs into four major trends currently impacting the demand of fertilizer. Let’s break them down here.

1. Feeding 10 Billion People by 2050

The world’s population is increasing rapidly and is expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050. This growth is particularly strong in developing countries where food security is already strained.

As the population grows, more crops are needed to support global food systems. Increasing crop production is essential and the fertilizer market is a critical ingredient in improving crop yields.

2. Less Farmland

After around 10,000 to 12,000 years of reshaping land for agriculture, the amount of arable land on earth is declining.

Based on the agricultural expansion predicted to take place between 2010 and 2050, an estimated 593 million hectares of agricultural land—nearly twice the size of India—will be needed.

With little room left to grow, fertilizers will take on an increasingly critical role in boosting crop production.

(Read more...)

What’s Behind The Rise Of Food Prices?

by Tessa Di Grandi
This post is by Tessa Di Grandi from Visual Capitalist

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The following content is sponsored by Brazil Potash


The Rise Of Food Prices

The World Food Price Index reached an all-time high in March 2022 before gradually falling for nine months to December 2022. But what caused this surge?

There are many variables contributing to the rising cost of global food, but supply chain disruptions and climate change are two major drivers for the spike in prices over the most recent years.

The above graphic from Brazil Potash explores how these two factors are contributing to the most recent rise in food prices.

1. Supply Chain Disruptions

The COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have caused major disruptions to global food systems, altering trade patterns, production, and consumption of commodities.

The pandemic placed unprecedented stress on global food systems through a variety of factors, including a change in consumer food consumption, workforce restrictions, and trade pattern disruptions, causing food prices to rise.

Then, on February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, blocking vital exports of commodities for international food systems, and causing a sharp spike in food prices.

Ukraine was the fourth largest global exporter of cereals before the invasion. Combined, Russia and Ukraine export around 28% of the world’s wheat and 15% of its maize.

Simultaneously the fertilizer industry has also felt the strain, with the trade of essential fertilizers for crop production impacted (Read more...)

Mapped: Where Does Our Food Come From?

by Tessa Di Grandi
This post is by Tessa Di Grandi from Visual Capitalist

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The following content is sponsored by Brazil Potash

Where Does Our Food Come From?

Did you know that over two-thirds of national crops originated from somewhere else?

Humans have been selecting and growing crops for specific traits since the origins of agriculture some 10,000 years ago, shaping where and what crops are grown today.

Now our food system is completely global and many of the world’s top producers of staple crops are in countries far from their historical origin. For example, Brazil is now the largest soybean producer in the world, though the crop is originally from East Asia.

The above infographic by Brazil Potash shows the historical origins of crops before they were domesticated across the globe and the main producers of our staple crops today.

Producers Of Staple Crops Today

Staple crops are those that are the most routinely grown and consumed. These can vary between countries depending on availability.

In 2020, sugarcane, maize, wheat, and rice made up around 50% of global crop production.

But when the production and distribution of staple crops are threatened, the consequences can be felt globally. Let’s take a look at the countries that were the top three producers of some of our staple crops in 2020.

CropCountryPercentage of Global Production
Sugar Cane🇧🇷Brazil40.5%
Sugar Cane🇮🇳India19.9%
Sugar Cane🇨🇳China5.8%
Maize🇺🇸U.S. (Read more...)