CHAPTER 6 - FERTILIZER CONSUMPTION BY CROP

Reliable statistics on the consumption of nutrients by crop and by state are not available in Brazil. The figures presented in Table 14 are indirect estimates calculated as follows:

1. The demand for N-P₂O₅-K₂O was calculated for each nutrient and region based on the planted area, the demand of each crop and the standard fertilizer formulae used on the crop.

2. The consumption of each crop in each region was adjusted so that the figures concerning the total consumption for each crop in Brazil coincide with the regional estimates of the Statistics Committee of ANDA.

3. Once this adjustment was made, the consumption of each nutrient in each region and for each crop was calculated. These numbers were also adjusted using a technology factor specific for each region. This factor is based on data, obtained by The Statistics Committee of ANDA, which compares the average consumption of nutrients in Brazil with that of each region.

4. Final estimates were then made for consumption by crop and by region.

Nitrogen

The highest rates of nitrogen are applied on potato, coffee, sugar cane, cotton, and citrus. High rates of nitrogen are also used on vegetables and fruits for export, which are included in “other crops” in Table 14. The lowest rates are used on beans, rice, wheat, maize, and soybeans; the latter crop is a leguminous crop and does not usually utilize nitrogen. Improved pasture is not included in Table 14; the fertilization of improved pastures has increased in recent years. The extremely low rates of nitrogen used on practically all the crops in the North and Northeast regions may be noted. An exception in the Northeast region is the small area devoted to the production of irrigated fruits for export.

TABLE 14
Fertilizer consumption by crop and region (kg/ha)

Crop	Region	Product	N	P₂O₅	K₂O	Total
Cotton	North	-	-	-	-	-
	Northeast	595	49	75	83	207
	Centre West	1 067	90	147	136	373
	Southeast	1 093	96	142	124	362
	South	860	120	112	119	351
	Total	960	83	130	122	335
Rice	North	106	7	23	12	42
	Northeast	148	16	25	15	56
	Centre West	265	30	49	25	104
	Southeast	272	32	47	23	102
	South	214	40	37	22	99
	Total	193	27	35	20	82
Potato	North	-	-	-	-	-
	Northeast	1 761	55	215	134	404
	Centre West	3 156	100	433	233	766
	Southeast	3 235	109	407	200	716
	South	2 545	136	321	193	650
	Total	2 873	121	362	195	678
Coffee	North	232	28	13	53	94
	Northeast	323	63	14	65	142
	Centre West	579	115	28	108	251
	Southeast	593	123	26	98	247
	South	467	154	21	94	269
	Total	542	114	24	92	230
Sugar cane	North	198	14	28	63	105
	Northeast	277	31	30	79	140
	Centre West	496	57	60	130	247
	Southeast	509	61	57	118	236
	South	400	76	45	113	234
	Total	447	55	51	110	216
Beans	North	70	3	10	5	18
	Northeast	98	6	10	6	22
	Centre West	175	11	20	10	41
	Southeast	179	11	19	9	39
	South	141	14	15	9	38
	Total	122	8	13	7	28
Citrus	North	187	14	13	25	52
	Northeast	261	30	14	32	76
	Centre West	468	55	27	52	134
	Southeast	480	59	26	47	132
	South	377	74	20	46	140
	Total	438	55	24	45	124
Maize	North	130	10	22	20	52
	Northeast	182	22	23	25	70
	Centre West	325	40	46	41	127
	Southeast	334	43	44	37	124
	South	262	53	35	35	123
	Total	262	40	35	33	108
Soybeans	North	165	2	36	33	71
	Northeast	229	4	39	41	84
	Centre West	411	7	76	68	151
	Southeast	422	7	73	62	142
	South	332	9	58	60	127
	Total	365	8	66	62	136
Wheat	North	0	0	0	0	0
	Northeast	0	0	0	0	0
	Centre West	336	9	64	53	126
	Southeast	344	9	62	48	119
	South	271	12	49	47	108
	Total	276	12	50	47	109
Other crops	North	11	3	2	2	7
	Northeast	29	8	5	6	19
	Centre West	707	63	167	128	358
	Southeast	833	147	92	79	318
	South	279	73	63	59	195
	Total	246	43	45	39	127
All crops	North	94	7	16	15	38
	Northeast	146	15	19	24	58
	Centre West	430	22	76	69	167
	Southeast	492	63	53	76	192
	South	299	31	49	49	129
	Total	327	31	48	52	131

Phosphorus

The largest application rates of phosphorus are on cotton and potato. Medium level application rates are used on sugar cane, soybeans and wheat and low rates on rice, coffee common beans, citrus and maize. For this nutrient also the lowest rates are in the North and Northeast regions.

Potassium

The rates for potassium are highest for cotton, potato, coffee and sugar cane. Medium rates are applied on citrus, soybeans and wheat and low rates on rice, common beans and maize. Also in the case of potassium, the lowest rates are in the North and Northeast regions.