United States Specialty Fertilizer - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The United States Specialty Fertilizer Market size is estimated at 7.04 billion USD in 2025, and is expected to reach 9.17 billion USD by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.43% during the forecast period (2025-2030).

The adoption of sustainable and irrigation agricultural practices is on the rise, leading to a surge in specialty adoption

• From 2018 to 2022, the specialty fertilizer market in the United States witnessed a 2.5% volume growth, propelled by its potential and expanding market opportunities across diverse crop types.
• By 2022, water-soluble fertilizers commanded a significant market share of 48.0%, followed by liquid fertilizers at 46.3% and controlled-release fertilizers (CRF) at 5.1%. In contrast, slow-release fertilizers held a modest 0.6% share, primarily due to their limited adoption in major crops like wheat, maize, and other cereals.
• The demand for water-soluble fertilizers is buoyed by their diverse nutrient grades and versatile application methods, including foliar, fertigation, and soil application. Notably, water-soluble fertilizers witnessed a 1.9% volume growth during the study period.
• The liquid fertilizers segment in the United States witnessed a notable 2.0% growth during the study period. This growth can be attributed to factors such as the rising adoption of precision farming, the ease of application, and the availability of wagons. Furthermore, the country's expanding micro-irrigation system is poised to further bolster this segment's growth.
• In 2017, the country had 58 million acres of irrigated cropland. The even distribution of water-soluble fertilizers through the developing micro-irrigation system led to heightened nutrient availability, resulting in improved nutrient supplementation efficiency.
• With a projected CAGR of 5.2%, the US specialty fertilizer market is set to gain momentum from 2023 to 2030. This growth is underpinned by a heightened governmental focus on curbing the environmental impact of conventional fertilizers and the concurrent surge in technological and scientific advancements.

United States Specialty Fertilizer Market Trends

Soybean and corn are the two largest crops grown in the United States

• The United States witnessed a modest population growth, rising from 335.9 million in 2020 to 338.2 million in the year 2022. Over the past two decades, the nation's farmland area has shrunk by nearly 50 million acres, settling at 893.4 million acres by 2022. This diminishing farmland underscores the urgency to enhance agricultural productivity through Agri inputs. Fertilizers have long been employed to bolster crop yields. In 2022, four key crops, such as corn, cotton, soybean, and wheat, collectively commanded over 65.7% of the principal crop acreage in the United States.
• Soybean and corn reign as the top crops in the United States, with soybean leading the pack in the year 2022, occupying 25.8% of the nation's arable land, followed closely by corn at 25.7%, and wheat at 11.1%. These crops predominantly thrive in the "Corn Belt," encompassing parts of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas. Corn and soybean production dominates this region. Furthermore, the United States emerges as a significant rice exporter, with cultivation concentrated in three Southern regions and one in California, as per the United States Department of Agriculture.
• Manufacturers of farm inputs are actively innovating to aid farmers in precise fertilizer application. This not only curbs cultivation costs but also bolsters efficiency. The US field crop sector holds substantial market potential, and with a surge in government funding and support, it is poised for positive growth in the coming years.

Nitrogen deficiency is one of the most prevalent crop nutrient problems across the cropping areas in the United States

• In the field crop's average primary nutrients (Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus) application rate in the country is about 166.61 kilogram/Hectare. Nitrogen accounts for 45.93 %, Potassium accounts for 28.11 percentage, and phosphorus accounts for 25.96 percentage of total field crops' average primary nutrient application.
• In field crops, Rapeseed/Canola was applied with an average primary nutrient application rate of 284.92 kilogram/Hectare, which is the highest in field crops. In primary nutrients, Nitrogen occupies first place with an average application rate of 229.60 kilogram/Hectare. This is because Nitrogen is required in large amounts for plant metabolism and it is a major component of chlorophyll and amino acids.
• Corn/ Maize is the second largest followed by Rapeseed/ Canola with an average primary nutrient application rate of 245.40 kilogram/ Hectare. Corn accounts for about 31.44 percentage of total field crop production in the United States. The Nitrogen requirement of corn is about 50.06 percentage, phosphorus is 23.77 percentage, and Potash is 26.17 percentage of the total average primary nutrient application.
• The primary nutrients are crucial for plant growth and boost the plant enzyme function, improving plant cell growth and biochemical processes. The deficiency of primary nutrients can affect plant health, growth, and crop production output. The application of primary nutrients in field crops is anticipated to increase to meet the demand by increasing productivity.

United States Specialty Fertilizer Industry Overview

The United States Specialty Fertilizer Market is fairly consolidated, with the top five companies occupying 73.24%. The major players in this market are CF Industries Holdings, Inc., The Andersons Inc., The Mosaic Company, Wilbur-Ellis Company LLC and Yara International ASA (sorted alphabetically).

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