Fertilizer consumption trend in developing countries vs. developed countries Babak Motesharezadeh & Hassan Etesami & Sepideh Bagheri-Novair & Hormoz Amirmokri Received: 3 October 2016 /Accepted: 26 January 2017 # Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017 Abstract The study of the chemical fertilizer consump- tion in different countries provides basal data for the decision-making of fertilizer production and for the environmental impact assessment of fertilizer applica- tion. Hence, the aim of this research was to study and compare the trend of the chemical fertilizer consumption from 1980 to 2012 in Iran, Turkey, Japan, Germany, France, and the USA. For this purpose, various indices such as application rates (kg ha -1 ) of N, P, and K, arable land, and total fertilizer consumption were analysed. Results showed that the application rates of nutrients (N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O) in Iran, Turkey, Japan, Germany, France, and the USA in 2012 were 100-42-7, 100-42-7, 100-94- 60, 100-17-25, 100-13-38, and 100-33-35, respectively. The lowest and highest area under production were observed in Japan with 4.0 million ha (0.033 ha/person) and in the USA with 155.0 million ha (0.51 ha/person) during 2008–2015, respectively. In addition, the highest and lowest application rates of net nutrient consumption were recorded in France and Germany (285 and 285 kg ha -1 ) and in Iran (66 kg ha -1 ), respec- tively. Overall, the average net consumption of fertilizers in the studied countries in three recent decades (million tonnes) decreased in the order: the USA (19.282) > France (4.601) > Germany (3.302) > Turkey (1.825) > Japan (1.604) > Iran (1.130). Regarding an estimated 9.2 billion people by 2050, the balanced consumption of nutrients (N-P 2 O 5 - K 2 O) and the principles of optimal consumption of fertilizers are keys for achieving the increased food production, food security, and environmental conservation. Keywords Food security . Chemical fertilizers . Inputs . Agricultural crops Introduction During the twentieth century, world population has grown from 1 billion to 7 billion. World population is projected to hit 9.2 billion in 2050 (Smith 2011). Global food security is one of the most pressing societal issues of our time. Food security is defined as the access by all people at all times to enough food for an active healthy life (United Nations 1975). Due to the rapid human population growth, the limited cultivable area, and the ever-increasing demand for food, the application of various chemical fertilizers has been enhanced by farmers all over the world. Fertilizers are one of the most important inputs in agricultural production. According to the FAO’ s report, 33 to 66% of the in- crease in agricultural production over the past few de- cades was due to the application of chemical fertilizers Environ Monit Assess (2017) 189:103 DOI 10.1007/s10661-017-5812-y B. Motesharezadeh (*) : H. Etesami : S. Bagheri-Novair Department of Soil Science, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Tehran 31587-778712, Iran e-mail: moteshare@ut.ac.ir H. Amirmokri Yara Tehran Senior Fertilizer Consultant & Institute of Standard and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI/TC) 134 Member, Tehran, Iran