Improved nutrient efficiency in agriculture

28/07/2017 15:00

In comparison with the early 1990s, nutrients from concentrate feeds and mineral fertilisers (i.e. external input) are being converted into animal and crop products more efficiently by Dutch farmers. The runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus into soil and air has decreased considerably, partly as a result of reduced input of these minerals. This is shown in figures released today by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on nutrient budgets in Dutch agriculture.

In 1990, 31 percent of nitrogen from livestock feed and mineral fertilisers was converted into animal and crop products. In 2015 the so-called nitrogen use-efficiency had risen to 47 percent, reducing levels of nitrogen loss. This percentage has remained fairly constant over the past few years. Phosphorus use-efficiency even increased from 44 to 93 percent; a continuing upward trend instead.

Utilisation rate of nitrogen and phosphorus in agriculture
	Nitrogen	Phosphorus
1990	31	44
1991	30	43
1992	31	43
1993	32	46
1994	32	47
1995	31	49
1996	32	49
1997	32	50
1998	31	48
1999	34	52
2000	37	53
2001	40	60
2002	41	62
2003	39	59
2004	40	65
2005	41	62
2006	39	60
2007	42	68
2008	46	74
2009	48	85
2010	48	71
2011	48	80
2012	49	90
2013	48	88
2014	49	87
2015	47	93

Utilisation rate of nitrogen and phosphorus in agriculture
	Nitrogen	Phosphorus
1990	31	44
1991	30	43
1992	31	43
1993	32	46
1994	32	47
1995	31	49
1996	32	49
1997	32	50
1998	31	48
1999	34	52
2000	37	53
2001	40	60
2002	41	62
2003	39	59
2004	40	65
2005	41	62
2006	39	60
2007	42	68
2008	46	74
2009	48	85
2010	48	71
2011	48	80
2012	49	90
2013	48	88
2014	49	87
2015	47	93

Less nutrient runoff into soils and air

The Dutch minerals policy of the past 25 years has effectively resulted in decreasing losses of nutrient input on farms. Overfertilisation has been reduced, while fertiliser application methods have become less wasteful. In 1990 nitrogen losses in agricultural soil amounted to 361 million kg. This had declined to 242 million kg in 2015. The loss of nitrogen to air declined from 263 million kg in 1990 to 90 million kg in 2015. Nowadays, efficiency in fertilisation of agricultural land has improved, while losses from animal houses and manure storage have been reduced.

Nitrogen losses into soil and air on farmland
	Into soil	Into air
1990	361	263
1991	375	271
1992	380	218
1993	374	220
1994	418	181
1995	473	158
1996	430	162
1997	416	151
1998	464	137
1999	416	136
2000	362	119
2001	315	115
2002	259	110
2003	324	109
2004	286	106
2005	275	104
2006	281	106
2007	252	104
2008	222	94
2009	217	94
2010	211	94
2011	212	83
2012	208	83
2013	212	84
2014	191	88
2015	242	90

Nitrogen losses into soil and air on farmland
	Into soil	Into air
1990	361	263
1991	375	271
1992	380	218
1993	374	220
1994	418	181
1995	473	158
1996	430	162
1997	416	151
1998	464	137
1999	416	136
2000	362	119
2001	315	115
2002	259	110
2003	324	109
2004	286	106
2005	275	104
2006	281	106
2007	252	104
2008	222	94
2009	217	94
2010	211	94
2011	212	83
2012	208	83
2013	212	84
2014	191	88
2015	242	90

Phosphorus losses only occur in soil and this has declined from 69 million kg in 1990 to 6 million kg in 2015. Most striking is the decrease in phosphorus application through mineral fertilisers: an 88 percent drop since 1990. The Dutch agricultural sector therefore appears to be approaching its goal of zero loss to soil, despite the fact that phosphorus from produced animal manure was still slightly above the phosphate ceiling set by the EU.

Phosphorus losses to soil on agricultural land
	Phosphorus losses in soil
1990	69
1991	77
1992	69
1993	65
1994	66
1995	60
1996	59
1997	49
1998	57
1999	51
2000	45
2001	38
2002	27
2003	40
2004	26
2005	31
2006	33
2007	22
2008	16
2009	11
2010	22
2011	12
2012	5
2013	8
2014	2
2015	6

Phosphorus losses to soil on agricultural land
	Phosphorus losses in soil
1990	69
1991	77
1992	69
1993	65
1994	66
1995	60
1996	59
1997	49
1998	57
1999	51
2000	45
2001	38
2002	27
2003	40
2004	26
2005	31
2006	33
2007	22
2008	16
2009	11
2010	22
2011	12
2012	5
2013	8
2014	2
2015	6

Decreasing input of nutrients

Input of nitrogen and phosphorus to livestock farms (in the form of feeds) and to arable farming and horticulture (as fertilisers) has been reduced considerably over the past 25 years. Flows of nitrogen and phosphorus from agriculture itself (i.e. animal manure and roughage) as well as industrial input (mineral fertilisers and concentrates) have also decreased significantly. Despite reduced inputs of these minerals, outputs through agricultural products has remained at similar levels. The slight decrease in plant production was offset by a slight increase in animal production.

Less nutrient runoff into soils and air

Decreasing input of nutrients

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