South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Outlook, 2031
The South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market is segmented into By Product Type (Urea, Ammonium Nitrate, Ammonium Sulfate, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN), Others (UAN (Urea Ammonium Nitrate Solutions), Ammonia (Anhydrous Ammonia), Methylene Urea)), By Form (Solid (Granular / Prilled), Liquid, Gas (Anhydrous Ammonia)), By Crop Type (Oilseeds and Pulses, Cereals and Grains, Fruits and Vegetables, Others), and By Application (Soil, Foliar, Fertigation, Others).
- Bonafide Research
- 13-06-2026
- Pages : 77
- Figures : 6
- Tables : 21
- Region : South America
- Category : Chemical & Material
- Chemical
South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer market may exceed USD 13.60 Billion by 2031, supported by rising soybean cultivation and export-focused farming.
- Historical Period2020-2024
- Base Year2025
- Forecast Period2026-2031
- Market Size (2031) USD 13.6 Billion
- Largest MarketBrazil
- Fastest Market Colombia
- Format
Featured Companies
- 1. Yara International
- 2. Koch Industries, Inc
- 3. Sinochem Corporation
- 4. ICL Group Ltd.
- 5. Dyno Nobel Limited
- More...
Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market Analysis
South America has transformed into the world’s largest importing region for nitrogen fertilizers, with Brazil recently overtaking India as the globe’s biggest urea buyer. Over 85‑90% of the continent’s nitrogen needs are supplied from abroad, making the region acutely sensitive to geopolitical tremors and shipping chokepoints. The 2025 Middle East conflict demonstrated this fragility: urea prices almost doubled from 450 to roughly 800 dollars per tonne, while 41% of Brazilian urea transits through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite possessing abundant natural gas reserves, attempts to build a domestic nitrogen industry have failed repeatedly. Brazil’s two largest urea plants at Camacari and Laranjeiras were closed in 2018, reopened by Unigel in 2019, and shuttered again in 2023 due to uncompetitive feedstock costs. Argentina’s Profertil plant at Bahia Blanca stands as a rare success, though it cannot cover regional demand. In response, Brazil launched the National Fertilizer Plan (PNF) aiming to cut external dependence to 70% by 2030 via R$16 billion in new plants and technologies. Meanwhile, Argentina moved decisively toward deregulation, slashing import costs for urea from 726 to 534 dollars per tonne through Senasa Resolution 214/2025 and Decree 101/2025. The region’s agricultural engine continues expanding, with Brazilian cultivated area growing 50% over four decades and urea consumption rising from 5.4 million to 8.3 million tonnes annually. Yet nitrogen remains the critical constraint: the Latin America and Caribbean region is the world’s largest net food exporter, and every tonne of soy or corn leaving Santos or Rosario carries embedded nitrogen from foreign factories. According to the research report, "South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Outlook, 2031," published by Bonafide Research, the South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer market is expected to reach a market size of more than USD 13.60 Billion by 2031. The competitive landscape of South American nitrogen fertilizers is defined not by local producers but by global traders responding to the continent’s massive, 85‑90% import appetite. Yara International, Nutrien, CF Industries, and EuroChem dominate supply channels, though Chinese suppliers have seized the lead in Brazil, overtaking Russia as the top source driven by ammonium sulfate and NP formulations. Mosaic, ICL, and K+S maintain positions across the value chain, but capital entry barriers remain formidable given the inability of domestic plants to compete with cheap natural gas abroad. Transaction economics are brutally exposed: Brazil imported 45.5 million tonnes of fertilizers in 2025, representing over 90% of its agricultural consumption, with 26% from China, 24% from Russia, and 17% from the Middle East. Consumer behaviour is shifting toward substitution as urea volatility bites Chinese ammonium sulfate is replacing urea in corn programmes, while controlled‑release and soluble products grab share among high‑value fruit and vegetable growers. Argentina’s deregulation wave, including Senasa Resolution 214/2025 and Decree 101/2025, has reduced administrative burdens and cut the “costo argentino” component of urea imports by 57%. The National Fertilizer Plan (PNF) is reshaping incentives, with Mapa’s José Carlos Polidoro confirming a 35% increase in domestic nitrogen production for 2025, plus five new projects expected to push output up over 50% by 2030. Simultaneously, the approved bill equating fertilisers to critical minerals will unlock tax credits, debentures, and CSLL benefits for domestic producers. Investment is accelerating, but the fundamental challenge persists: South America grows the food while the nitrogen floats in from distant ports.
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Market Drivers • Soybean Area Expansion: Argentina's 2025/26 corn and soybeans face heat and below‑normal rainfall, but Brazilian plantings drive sustained nitrogen use. Cultivated area in Brazil has risen 50 per cent in 40 years, with urea demand jumping from 5.4 million t/a in 2014 to 8.3 million t/a in 2024. • Government Deregulation: Argentina slashed the “costo argentino” for urea imports from 726 to 534 dollars per tonne after streamlining Senasa Resolution 214/2025 and Decree 101/2025. Lower logistical hurdles stimulate regional fertilizer flow. Market Challenges • 85‑90% Import Dependence: Brazil remains the world’s largest fertilizer importer, with 85‑90% of consumption coming from abroad. Only three domestic urea plants exist, and two (Camacari, Laranjeiras) have been forced shut repeatedly due to high gas feedstock prices. • Geopolitical Supply Shocks: Russia’s temporary ammonium nitrate halt and China’s export restrictions compound Middle East tensions. Urea prices jumped from 450 to roughly 800 dollars per tonne, and 41% of Brazilian urea uses the Strait of Hormuz route. Market Trends • Ammonium Sulfate Substitution: Asian ammonium sulfate (China overtook Russia as Brazil’s top supplier) is being used as an economic alternative to urea amid nitrogen price volatility. The product’s dual N+S nutrition fits tropical soil needs. • National Fertilizer Plan (PNF): Brazil is targeting external dependence cut to 70% by 2030 via R$16 billion investments by 2028. A 35% nitrogenous production increase is expected in 2025, with new projects raising output over 50% towards 2030.
Nitrogenous Fertilizers Segmentation
| By product Type | Urea | |
| Ammonium Nitrate | ||
| Ammonium Sulfate | ||
| Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) | ||
| Others | ||
| By Form | Solid (Granular / Prilled) | |
| Liquid | ||
| Gas (Anhydrous Ammonia) | ||
| By Crop Type | Oilseeds and Pulses | |
| Cereals and Grains | ||
| Fruits and Vegetables | ||
| Others | ||
| By Application | Soil | |
| Foliar | ||
| Fertigation | ||
| Others | ||
| South America | Brazil | |
| Argentina | ||
| Colombia | ||
Ammonium sulfate delivers 21% nitrogen plus 24% sulphur to correct widespread tropical soil deficiencies, while Chinese byproduct capacity keeps it competitively priced against volatile urea. The rapid ascent of ammonium sulfate across South American farms reflects a perfect alignment of agronomic necessity and industrial economics. Brazilian and Argentine soils, often heavily weathered and leached, commonly suffer from sulphur depletion that limits nitrogen uptake efficiency. Ammonium sulfate addresses both macronutrients in a single granule, making it particularly attractive for corn, coffee, and oil palm systems where sulphur response can be dramatic. The product’s manufacturing story is equally compelling. China has become the world’s largest ammonium sulfate producer as a byproduct of caprolactam synthesis, generating roughly 25 million tonnes annually that must find export markets. Brazilian buyers have absorbed this surplus enthusiastically. Chinese ammonium sulfate exports to Brazil jumped 47% year-on-year in May 2025, helping China overtake Russia as Brazil’s top fertiliser supplier for the first time. The substitution effect intensified as urea prices spiked following Middle East disruptions. Growers facing urea at 800 dollars per tonne discovered that ammonium sulfate, while lower in nitrogen concentration, offered price stability and avoided the supply constraints affecting urea shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. The National Confederation of Agriculture (CNA) explicitly noted that cautious demand was encouraging substitution with ammonium sulfate in place of urea, particularly in corn where terms of trade improved. No longer viewed as a mere byproduct, ammonium sulfate has carved out a strategic role in South American crop nutrition. Granular and prilled solids dominate because they alone can be efficiently stored, blended, and broadcast across the continent’s vast, low‑mechanization farms, with urea’s 46% nitrogen minimising costly international freight. Solid fertilizers hold an unassailable position in South America because the logistics of feeding the continent’s farms favour density, durability, and simplicity. Urea’s 46% nitrogen concentration means every tonne shipped from the Middle East, Russia, or China carries nearly twice the nutrient value of any liquid alternative, directly reducing freight expenses for a region importing 85‑90% of its needs. Brazilian farmers received 49.11 million tonnes of fertiliser in 2025, setting a new record. The vast majority arrived as solids because port infrastructure at Santos, Paranaguá, and Rio Grande is configured for bulk carriers discharging granular products into warehouses before inland distribution by truck or rail. Granular urea’s resistance to caking and its free‑flowing properties allow long‑term storage on farms, a critical advantage in regions with concentrated planting windows. Argentina’s recent deregulation lowered the cost of importing urea from 726 to 534 dollars per tonne, but these savings still accrue to granular shipments because the administrative simplification applies equally to solids and liquids. The National Fertilizer Plan (PNF) aims to boost domestic nitrogen production by 35% in 2025, but new output will initially target granular urea and ammonium sulfate formats that integrate seamlessly with existing blending and distribution networks. Controlled‑release and coated solids are gaining ground, but the core remains conventional granular urea, which far and away remains the most popular nitrogen fertiliser in Brazil, with consumption rising from 5.4 million t/a in 2014 to 8.3 million t/a in 2024. Specialty fertilisers command premium prices in South America’s expanding export‑oriented fruit and vegetable belt, where quality standards for table grapes, citrus, and tomatoes demand precise nitrogen management. The fastest nitrogen consumption growth across South America is no longer in commodity soy or corn but in the intensively managed fruit and vegetable sectors feeding domestic cities and export markets. Brazil’s São Francisco Valley produces table grapes, mangoes, and melons for European shelves, where blemish‑free appearance and consistent sweetness require split applications of soluble nitrogen that would be uneconomic for field crops. Chilean fruit exporters, facing strict nitrate limits from European importers, have adopted controlled‑release nitrogen formulations that minimise leaching while maintaining berry size and colour. The economic calculus shifts dramatically at this end of the market: a single misplaced nitrogen spike can downgrade an entire container of nectarines, wiping out returns that justify paying premium prices for enhanced‑efficiency products. Argentina’s Alto Valle of Río Negro, a major apple and pear region, has seen rapid adoption of fertigation systems that deliver liquid nitrogen directly through drip lines, achieving uniform distribution impossible with broadcast solids. While the Latin American region represents only about 8% of global fertiliser consumption, the share consumed by fruits and vegetables is rising faster than any other category because urbanisation is driving dietary diversification across the continent’s largest economies. Fertiliser specialisation is accelerating. Products like water‑soluble MAP and potassium nitrate, once reserved for greenhouse production, now appear regularly in open‑field horticulture. The growth of regional supermarket chains and the expansion of cold storage infrastructure have created reliable price signals that reward quality, pulling nitrogen demand toward fruit and vegetable systems that can capture those premiums. Soil broadcasting remains the default method because the continent’s vast soybean, corn, and wheat fields lack the irrigation infrastructure needed for fertigation, while labour costs make foliar spraying uneconomic on thousands of hectares. Soil application continues to handle the overwhelming majority of nitrogen delivery across South America because the continent’s cropping systems are built around scale rather than precision. Brazil’s second‑season corn, planted after soybean harvest across millions of hectares in Mato Grosso and Paraná, receives nitrogen almost exclusively as broadcast urea or ammonium sulfate because no irrigation network exists to support fertigation across such vast areas. The upfront capital for drip or centre‑pivot systems simply cannot be justified for rain‑fed field crops, regardless of potential efficiency gains. Direct seeding and no‑till adoption, widespread across Argentina’s Pampas and Brazil’s Cerrado, have reinforced soil application because surface broadcasting of granular products fits no‑till management without soil disturbance. Foliar sprays, while effective for correcting mid‑season deficiencies, deliver only modest amounts of nitrogen per pass compared to soil applications. The concentration required to avoid leaf burn means each foliar application supplies perhaps 10‑15 kg/ha of actual nitrogen, making repeated passes necessary. On farms measuring thousands of hectares, the time, fuel, and equipment costs become prohibitive. Argentina’s deregulation, which reduced urea import costs from 726 to 534 dollars per tonne, has if anything reinforced soil application dominance because cheaper granular urea encourages continued broadcasting rather than investment in alternative methods. The National Fertilizer Plan’s push for domestic nitrogen production will initially supply conventional granular urea for soil application because that is what existing infrastructure delivers.
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Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market Regional Insights
Brazil dominates Latin American nitrogen demand, has become the world’s largest urea importer, and maintains an agricultural frontier expanding 50% in four decades, dwarfing every other South American market. Brazil’s dominance of South America’s nitrogen market is absolute, leaving Argentina, Colombia, and Chile as secondary players. Brazilian nitrogen demand represents about 60% of that for the whole of Latin America, a share that has grown consistently as the country expanded cultivated area by 50% over 40 years. Urea consumption alone rose from 5.4 million tonnes annually in 2014 to 8.3 million tonnes in 2024, an increase that would represent a national market for most countries but merely incremental growth for Brazil. The import statistics reveal the scale of dependence: Brazil is the world’s largest fertiliser importer, bringing in 45.5 million tonnes in 2025 and covering more than 85‑90% of its needs from abroad. Domestic production has failed to keep pace. The country hosts only three urea plants, with Camacari and Laranjeiras shuttered repeatedly, most recently in 2023 due to high gas feedstock costs. In response, the National Fertilizer Plan (PNF) aims to cut external dependence to 70% by 2030 via R$16 billion in investment, while a newly approved bill equates fertilisers to critical minerals, unlocking tax credits and CSLL benefits for domestic producers. Yet even ambitious domestic expansion will barely dent import volumes, given Brazil’s scale. The country accounts for approximately 8% of global fertiliser consumption, ranking fourth worldwide behind only China, India, and the United States. Soy, corn, and sugarcane drive more than 73% of this demand, creating a concentrated nitrogen appetite that no other South American nation approaches.
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Companies Mentioned
- Yara International
- Koch Industries, Inc
- Sinochem Corporation
- ICL Group Ltd.
- Dyno Nobel Limited
Table of Contents
- 1. Executive Summary
- 2. Market Dynamics
- 2.1. Market Drivers & Opportunities
- 2.2. Market Restraints & Challenges
- 2.3. Market Trends
- 2.4. Supply chain Analysis
- 2.5. Policy & Regulatory Framework
- 2.6. Industry Experts Views
- 3. Research Methodology
- 3.1. Secondary Research
- 3.2. Primary Data Collection
- 3.3. Market Formation & Validation
- 3.4. Report Writing, Quality Check & Delivery
- 4. Market Structure
- 4.1. Market Considerate
- 4.2. Assumptions
- 4.3. Limitations
- 4.4. Abbreviations
- 4.5. Sources
- 4.6. Definitions
- 5. Economic /Demographic Snapshot
- 6. South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Outlook
- 6.1. Market Size By Value
- 6.2. Market Share By Country
- 6.3. Market Size and Forecast, By product Type
- 6.4. Market Size and Forecast, By Form
- 6.5. Market Size and Forecast, By Crop Type
- 6.6. Market Size and Forecast, By Application
- 6.7. Brazil Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Outlook
- 6.7.1. Market Size by Value
- 6.7.2. Market Size and Forecast By product Type
- 6.7.3. Market Size and Forecast By Form
- 6.7.4. Market Size and Forecast By Crop Type
- 6.7.5. Market Size and Forecast By Application
- 6.8. Argentina Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Outlook
- 6.8.1. Market Size by Value
- 6.8.2. Market Size and Forecast By product Type
- 6.8.3. Market Size and Forecast By Form
- 6.8.4. Market Size and Forecast By Crop Type
- 6.8.5. Market Size and Forecast By Application
- 6.9. Colombia Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Outlook
- 6.9.1. Market Size by Value
- 6.9.2. Market Size and Forecast By product Type
- 6.9.3. Market Size and Forecast By Form
- 6.9.4. Market Size and Forecast By Crop Type
- 6.9.5. Market Size and Forecast By Application
- 7. Competitive Landscape
- 7.1. Competitive Dashboard
- 7.2. Business Strategies Adopted by Key Players
- 7.3. Porter's Five Forces
- 7.4. Company Profile
- 7.4.1. Nutrien Ltd.
- 7.4.1.1. Company Snapshot
- 7.4.1.2. Company Overview
- 7.4.1.3. Financial Highlights
- 7.4.1.4. Geographic Insights
- 7.4.1.5. Business Segment & Performance
- 7.4.1.6. Product Portfolio
- 7.4.1.7. Key Executives
- 7.4.1.8. Strategic Moves & Developments
- 7.4.2. Yara International ASA
- 7.4.3. EuroChem
- 7.4.4. ICL Group Ltd.
- 7.4.5. JSC PhosAgro
- 7.4.6. SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company
- 7.4.7. Trinidad Nitrogen Company (Tringen) Ltd.
- 7.4.8. Dyno Nobel
- 8. Strategic Recommendations
- 9. Annexure
- 9.1. FAQ`s
- 9.2. Notes
- 10. Disclaimer
Table 2: Top 10 Counties Economic Snapshot 2024
Table 3: Economic Snapshot of Other Prominent Countries 2022
Table 4: Average Exchange Rates for Converting Foreign Currencies into U.S. Dollars
Table 5: South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast, By product Type (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 6: South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast, By Form (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 7: South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast, By Crop Type (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 8: South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast, By Application (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 9: Brazil Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By product Type (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 10: Brazil Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By Form (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 11: Brazil Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By Crop Type (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 12: Brazil Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By Application (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 13: Argentina Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By product Type (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 14: Argentina Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By Form (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 15: Argentina Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By Crop Type (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 16: Argentina Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By Application (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 17: Colombia Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By product Type (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 18: Colombia Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By Form (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 19: Colombia Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By Crop Type (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 20: Colombia Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size and Forecast By Application (2020 to 2031F) (In USD Billion)
Table 21: Competitive Dashboard of top 5 players, 2025
Figure 2: South America Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Share By Country (2025)
Figure 3: Brazil Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size By Value (2020, 2025 & 2031F) (in USD Billion)
Figure 4: Argentina Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size By Value (2020, 2025 & 2031F) (in USD Billion)
Figure 5: Colombia Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market Size By Value (2020, 2025 & 2031F) (in USD Billion)
Figure 6: Porter's Five Forces of Global Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market
Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market Research FAQs
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