Potash - Production, Reserves & Supply Concentration
Potassium-bearing mineral products used mainly in fertilisers.Production and the selected reserve series are expressed as potassium oxide equivalent, the standard nutrient basis for potash statistics.
Potash Global Production & Country Share
Measure: Mine production (thousand metric tons)
Potash Production by Country (2020-2025)
Mine production · Unit: thousand metric tons
| Rank | Country | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025e | Share | 5Y Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Canada | 13,800 | 14,200 | 14,600 | 13,000 | 14,400 | 15,000 | 30.6% | +8.7% |
| #2 | Russia | 8,110 | 9,100 | 6,800 | 6,500 | 10,000 | 10,000 | 20.4% | +23.3% |
| #3 | China | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,300 | 6,300 | 12.9% | +5.0% |
| #4 | Belarus | 7,400 | 7,630 | 4,000 | 3,800 | 5,000 | 6,000 | 12.2% | -18.9% |
| #5 | Germany | 2,200 | 2,800 | 2,700 | 2,600 | 2,500 | 3,000 | 6.1% | +36.4% |
| #6 | Laos | 270 | 260 | 700 | 1,400 | 2,400 | 2,400 | 4.9% | +788.9% |
| #7 | Israel | 2,280 | 2,380 | 2,450 | 2,400 | 2,260 | 2,000 | 4.1% | -12.3% |
| #8 | Jordan | 1,590 | 1,560 | 1,640 | 1,800 | 1,730 | 1,800 | 3.7% | +13.2% |
| #9 | Chile | 900 | 858 | 600 | 600 | 564 | 600 | 1.2% | -33.3% |
| #10 | United States | - | - | - | - | 410 | 500 | 1.0% | - |
| #11 | Spain | 420 | 365 | 420 | 250 | 489 | 450 | 0.9% | +7.1% |
| #12 | Brazil | 254 | 270 | 200 | 200 | 331 | 300 | 0.6% | +18.1% |
| - | World Total | 44,000 | 46,300 | 40,900 | 39,000 | 46,700 | 49,000 | 100.0% | +11.4% |
Potash Proven Reserves by Country (2025)
Basis: Reserves: K2O equivalent · Unit: thousand metric tons · Global Implied Reserve Life: 120.4 years
| Rank | Country | Reserves (thousand metric tons) | World Share | USGS Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Russia | 2,000,000 | - | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #2 | Canada | 1,100,000 | - | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #3 | Laos | 1,000,000 | - | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #4 | Belarus | 750,000 | - | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #5 | United States | 220,000 | - | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. - Data are rounded to no more than two significant digits to avoid disclosing company proprietary data. |
| #6 | China | 200,000 | - | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #7 | Germany | 150,000 | - | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #8 | Chile | 100,000 | - | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #8 | Spain | 100,000 | - | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #10 | Brazil | 2,300 | - | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| - | World Total Reserves | 5,900,000 | 100.0% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
U.S. Supply, Consumption & Net Import Reliance (2021-2025)
| Salient Measure | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potash: Production, marketable | thousand metric tons | 480 | 430 | 390 | 410 | 500 |
| Potash: Imports for consumption | thousand metric tons | 6,480 | 4,940 | 5,620 | 5,970 | 5,600 |
| Potash: Exports | thousand metric tons | 112 | 267 | 157 | 150 | 170 |
| Potash: Consumption, apparent | thousand metric tons | 6,900 | 5,100 | 5,900 | 6,200 | 5,900 |
| Potash: Employment, mine and mill, number | number | 900 | 900 | 900 | 900 | 900 |
| Potash: U.S. Net Import Reliance | % of consumption | 93% | 92% | 93% | 94% | 92% |
Frequently Asked Questions - Potash
Which country leads potash production (mine production)?
Canada leads the 2025 USGS country table for mine production, with 15,000 thousand metric tons (estimated) (30.6% of the reported world total). World output was 49,000 thousand metric tons in 2025.
Which country holds the largest reported potash reserves?
Russia ranks first in the USGS reserve table, with 2,000,000 thousand metric tons (Reserves: K2O equivalent) against a reported world total of >5,900,000 thousand metric tons.
What is US net import reliance and import sourcing for potash?
In 2025, US net import reliance was reported at 92% (Net import reliance as a percentage of apparent consumption). Across 2021-24, leading US import sources (All) were Canada (79%), Russia (12%), Israel (3%).
How is potash classified on the US Critical Minerals List and what are its primary uses?
Status: Listed on 2025 US List (Added in 2025 Final List). Primary applications cited in USGS summaries include: Agricultural potassium fertilizers (muriate of potash and sulfate of potash) and industrial potassium chemicals. Potash encompasses soluble potassium salts (principally sylvite and carnallite) mined from underground evaporite beds and potassium-bearing brines. Production and comparable reserve figures are standardized to potassium oxide (K₂O) equivalent.