Panel 1
Roberto Sannino, Federico Silvestri
The indicator considers fertilisers used in agriculture, i.e. inputs primarily employed to support crop growth. It analyses their spatial and temporal distribution to provide an overall representation of environmental impact, based on the quantities and types of fertilisers placed on the market.
In 2023, more than 4.5 million tonnes of fertilisers were placed on the market.
Mineral fertilisers (including simple, compound, and those based on meso- and micronutrients) accounted for 40.7% of the total. This category has historically been the most sold, with the only exception in 2022, despite a long-term decline (2000–2023).
Organic fertilisers (including soil improvers and organic fertilisers) followed closely, representing 39.8% of total sales, with a long-term upward trend (2000–2023). The most sold subcategory was soil improvers, with over 1.2 million tonnes. Their sales volume has remained relatively stable in recent years and, for the second consecutive year, exceeded that of simple mineral fertilisers, which remain the dominant subcategory within mineral fertilisers (64.7%).
The indicator allows for the assessment of the annual quantities of fertilisers placed on the market for agricultural use, and enables comparison of distribution trends over time and across regions. Relevant data are provided by ISTAT and originate from the annual census survey conducted among companies that distribute fertilisers under their own brand or foreign brands.
The ISTAT survey considers various types of fertilisers, including mineral, organic, and organo-mineral fertilisers, which primarily serve to supply nutrients to plants; soil improvers and liming materials, which are substances mainly used to modify and improve the chemical, physical, and biological properties of the soil; growing media, which differ in nature from agricultural soil (e.g. cultivation substrates); and special action products, which influence nutrient uptake or correct physiological disorders. Fertilisers distributed for non-agricultural use are not included.
The indicator analyses data by fertiliser category, representing the nutrient content available to plants. It considers primary nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), secondary nutrients (calcium, magnesium, and sulphur), the total of micronutrients (boron, copper, iron, etc.), and organic matter content.
Legislative Decree No. 75 of 29 April 2010, as amended, regulates the production and placing on the market (within the national territory) of mineral and organic fertilisers. A revision of this decree is necessary to align its provisions with Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019, which governs the making available on the EU market of CE-marked fertilising products. This regulation, effective from 16 July 2022, repealed the previous Regulation (EC) No. 2003/2003.
In the context of developing a circular economy and ensuring the protection of human, animal, and plant health, as well as environmental safety, the new EU Fertilising Products Regulation supports the use of recycled and organic materials in fertilisation practices.
With regard to organic matter recovery, reference should also be made to Council Directive 86/278/EEC on the use of sewage sludge in agriculture. Furthermore, Council Directive 91/676/EEC (the Nitrates Directive) of 12 December 1991 lays down measures to protect water from pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources. It introduces specific rules for the application of nitrogen fertilisers to land, including limits on the amount of livestock manure applied per hectare and on nitrate concentrations in water. In particular, it sets a limit of 170 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year for manure application and a maximum nitrate concentration of 50 mg/l in water.
In direct implementation of this directive, Ministerial Decree of 19 April 1999 established the Code of Good Agricultural Practice, providing guidelines for the proper use of nitrogen fertilisers. The updated Ministerial Decree of 25 February 2016 defines technical standards for the agronomic use of livestock effluents, wastewater, and digestate.
In relation to nitrate pollution from agricultural sources, Legislative Decree No. 152/1999, updated by Legislative Decree No. 152 of 3 April 2006 (Environmental Code), provides for the identification of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) to protect surface and groundwater from contamination. Also relevant are the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC and Directive 2006/118/EC, which, while not setting fertiliser use limits, aim to protect inland, coastal, and groundwater bodies from pollution and address the impacts of agriculture on water resources.
Panel 2
ISTAT, mezzi di produzione in agricoltura
The data refer to the quantity placed on the market, not to the actual amount used by agricultural operators.
Availability of data on the quantities of fertilisers distributed, potentially recorded at representative agricultural and livestock holdings across different territorial contexts.
Data quality assessment
ISTAT (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica)
ISTAT, Survey on the distribution of fertilisers for agricultural use (mineral fertilisers, soil improvers and liming materials) [http://dati.istat.it/]
National level, Regional level
1971, 1981, 1985, 1990-2023
Indicator assessment
The indicator is based on statistical data provided by ISTAT, following the census survey entitled “Survey on the distribution of fertilisers for agricultural use”.
In 2023, more than 4.5 million tonnes of fertilisers were placed on the market (Table 1). Mineral fertilisers accounted for 40.7% of the total, including simple, compound, and fertilisers based on meso- and micronutrients. These products contain declared nutrients in the form of mineral compounds obtained through extraction or industrial physical and/or chemical processes.
Organic fertilisers represented 39.8% of the total and include organic fertilisers derived from animal or plant-based organic materials, as well as soil improvers. These were followed by liming materials (10.9%), organo-mineral fertilisers (4.7%)—produced from one or more mineral fertilisers, organic matrices, and organic fertilisers—growing media (2.0%), and special action products (1.8%).
Among mineral fertilisers, simple mineral fertilisers were the most common, with nearly 1.2 million tonnes (64.7%), followed by compound fertilisers (573 thousand tonnes, 31%), and fertilisers based on meso- and micronutrients (80 thousand tonnes, 4.3%) (Table 1). Nitrogen-based fertilisers remain the most widely used type among mineral fertilisers, accounting for over four-fifths of simple mineral fertilisers (87.5%) and nearly all compound mineral fertilisers (97.6%). In total, nitrogen-based mineral fertilisers (simple and compound) amounted to 1.6 million tonnes, or 86.8% of all mineral fertilisers (source).
Among organic fertilisers, soil improvers were the most sold category, with over 1.2 million tonnes (70.9%). Within this group, mixed soil improvers accounted for 63.4% (approximately 812 thousand tonnes), and plant-based soil improvers for 17.2% (source). The volume of soil improvers sold was about three-quarters of that of nitrogen-based mineral fertilisers.
A total of 31.3% of fertilisers—over 1.4 million tonnes—were authorised for use in organic farming. Of these, more than half (52.8%) were distributed to preserve and improve the chemical, physical, and biological properties of the soil.
The nutrient content (primary, secondary or meso-elements, micronutrients, and organic matter) is associated with the characteristics of the fertilisers placed on the market. In 2023, more than 627 thousand tonnes of nitrogen, 311 thousand tonnes of phosphorus, 134 thousand tonnes of potassium oxide, 339 thousand tonnes of meso-elements (calcium, magnesium, and sulphur), and 164 thousand tonnes of organic matter were distributed (Table 2).
Slightly more than half of the nitrogen (54.1%), phosphorus pentoxide (50.4%), and potassium oxide (53.4%) were distributed in the four regions of the Po Valley (Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna). This concentration is linked to the type of agriculture practiced, particularly farm production choices and cultivation techniques, and is therefore associated with the nutritional needs of the crops grown and the characteristics of the soils, as well as with environmental factors, primarily climatic and edaphic variables.
Between 2000 and 2023, the distribution of fertilisers decreased by 83 thousand tonnes, equivalent to a 1.8% reduction (Table 1). A key aspect is the differing trends among the various categories. The decline was particularly marked for organo-mineral fertilisers (–207 thousand tonnes, –49.3%) and especially for mineral fertilisers, which fell by nearly 1.6 million tonnes (–46.3%), affecting both simple (–40.3%) and compound types (–59.7%).
In contrast, there was a significant increase in the use of liming materials, which have gained importance over the past fifteen years, and in organic fertilisers, with more than a twofold increase in organic fertilisers (+105%) and especially in soil improvers (+163%). The positive trend in soil improvers is noteworthy, given their role in maintaining soil organic matter and, more broadly, in preserving soil biodiversity.
The last five years (2019–2023) have been characterised by annual variability in the distribution of mineral fertilisers (Table 1). Considering the average sales volume over the past five years (over 4.4 million tonnes), 2023 shows a modest increase in total fertiliser distribution (+125 thousand tonnes, +2.8%), suggesting a certain stabilisation in overall fertiliser use.
Looking at individual categories, the positive trend in total distribution includes both mineral fertilisers (+2.3%)—limited to simple types (+0.9%)—and organic fertilisers (+10.6%), mainly due to a doubling in the sales volume of organic fertilisers compared to 2022.
With regard to soil fertility maintenance, an important phenomenon not covered in this analysis—since it falls outside the scope of the ISTAT survey—is the direct application to soil, or after processing (e.g. anaerobic digestion), of organic materials from agricultural activities (livestock effluents and plant residues). The use of such substances on farms can influence the dynamics of organic fertiliser distribution, including the volume of soil improvers placed on the market.
Data
Table 1. Fertilisers distributed by category (1998–2001, 2012–2013)
Istat, Survey on the distribution of fertilisers for agricultural use
a) Data not collected;
b) The survey began in 2006
Tabella 2 - Distribuzione regionale degli elementi nutritivi contenuti nei fertilizzanti (2023)
Istat, Rilevazione sulla distribuzione per uso agricolo dei fertilizzanti
Tabella 3. Elementi nutritivi contenuti nei fertilizzanti (1971, 1981,1985,1990-2023)
ISTAT, Rilevazione sulla distribuzione per uso agricolo dei fertilizzanti
Figura 1: Elementi nutritivi contenuti nei fertilizzanti (2000-2023)
ISTAT, Rilevazione sulla distribuzione per uso agricolo dei fertilizzanti
In 2023, mineral fertilisers (simple, compound, and those based on meso- and micronutrients) once again represented the most sold category (Table 1), reversing the trend observed in 2022, when for the first time organic fertilisers (soil improvers and organic fertilisers) recorded a higher sales volume over the 2000–2023 period. The predominance of mineral fertilisers is linked to a greater increase in their sales compared to the concurrent rise in organic fertilisers.
Among mineral fertilisers, nitrogen-based fertilisers were the most prevalent (1.6 million tonnes, 86.8% of total mineral fertilisers placed on the market). Nitrogen is the primary nutrient responsible for stimulating plant (and algae) growth, and consequently also contributes to soil and water degradation. The most widely used type is simple nitrogen fertilisers, primarily urea-based (source), which is the solid mineral fertiliser with the highest nitrogen content (46% N). Urea contains nitrogen in the ureic form, which is not directly assimilable by plant roots, is highly mobile in soil, and very water-soluble.
Other nitrogen fertilisers include nitrate-based and ammonium sulphate-based products. Together with urea, they account for over 930 thousand tonnes, approximately four-fifths of simple nitrogen-based mineral fertilisers (source).
Among organic fertilisers, soil improvers are the most common, particularly mixed soil improvers (812 thousand tonnes, 63.4%) and plant-based composted green soil improvers (221 thousand tonnes, 17.3%) (source). The higher sales volume of mixed soil improvers is due to their composition, which includes both plant-based residues and waste (e.g. bark, crop residues, and green waste from ornamental maintenance), typical of plant-based composted green soil improvers, and stabilised organic waste from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (from separate collection), anaerobic digestate, animal waste, agro-industrial residues, and untreated wood and textile processing. These fertilisers support the recovery of organic matter in line with circular economy principles.
The long-term growth trends highlight a consolidated shift toward greater use of organic fertilisers in agriculture. This evolution is considered positive, given the higher capacity of organic fertilisers to increase soil organic matter and their lower impact on groundwater pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
The growing use of organic fertilisers is linked to increasing awareness among farmers of the need to restore and preserve soil fertility, leading to technical choices aligned with sustainable natural capital management. The main drivers include:
a) Greater environmental awareness among farmers, supported by increasing consumer attention to environmental issues;
b) The strengthening of agricultural policies that support environmentally friendly farming practices, such as organic and conservation agriculture;
c) EU and national policy decisions aimed at enhancing the environmental sustainability of organic matter recovery as an alternative to landfill disposal of organic waste.
The positive trend in the use of organic fertilisers is partially reflected in the analysis of the active component of fertilisers—i.e. the nutrients that directly affect soil and plant fertility. Over the long term (Table 3 and Figure 1), the availability of organic matter shows an irregular trend, and the absolute values of the last three years differ significantly from previous years, making interpretation and evaluation difficult.
Similarly, it is challenging to draw technical conclusions on the trends of other primary nutrients, as their use is influenced by the commercial characteristics of fertiliser products placed on the market. In general, considering both the long-term average (2000–2023) and the last five years (2019–2023), the dynamics vary by nutrient: potassium shows a decreasing trend in both periods; nitrogen shows a mixed trend (decreasing in the long term, increasing in the last five years); and phosphorus shows a fluctuating pattern.