Nitrogen and phosphorus balances for cultivated land and grassland in the Netherlands, 1980-2002*

Both the supply, primarily through manure and chemical fertilisers, and the surplus for cultivated land of nitrogen and phosphorus are still falling annually.

		1980	1986	1990	1995	2000	2001	2002*

		kg N/ha
Nitrogen supply¹⁾		447	508	459	472	394	380	367
of which	manure	190	241	239	252	205	209	198
	fertiliser	240	249	201	201	169	151	149
	other	17	17	19	19	20	20	19
Withdrawal		210	243	248	228	212	207	220
Surplus		237	265	211	244	182	172	147

		kg P₂O₅/ha²⁾
Phosphate supply¹⁾²⁾		160	176	153	140	125	119	114
of which	manure	115	128	108	101	87	88	83
	fertiliser	39	41	37	32	32	27	27
	other	7	7	7	7	6	5	5
Withdrawal		66	73	71	64	68	65	72
Surplus		94	103	82	76	57	54	42

Source: CBS.							CBS/EDC/Sep03/0093
1) Excludes deposition on arable land and ammonia emissions from manure and fertiliser. 2) Conversion of phosphate to phosphorus: 2.29 kg P₂O₅ equals 1 kg P.

Fall in supply and surplus of eutrophying substances since 1986

Until the introduction of environmental laws designed to decrease nutrient surpluses, the use of nitrogen and phosphate in agriculture was increasing. Supplies reached a high point in 1986. After the laws were introduced there was an initial sharp drop in use and surpluses of these nutrients, especially for phosphate. Between 1986 and 2002, supplies of nitrogen and phosphorus fell by 28% and 35% respectively. The surpluses of these substances fell in the same period by 45% and 59% respectively.

Fertiliser policy

Until 1998, fertiliser policy was primarily aimed at reducing phosphate use. In order to comply with the European Nitrate Directive, the mineral accounting system known as MINAS was introduced in 1998.

Legal standards for the use of fertilisers in the Netherlands (MINAS)
Environmental pressure, theme of Eutrophication: introduction and policy for a discussion of the European Nitrate Directive.

References

CBS/LEI (2001). Land- en tuinbouwcijfers 2001. Statistics Netherlands/Agricultural Economics Research Institute, Voorburg/Heerlen/The Hague.
CBS (2003). Mineralen in de landbouw 1999-2002*. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
CCDM (2003). Emissiemonitor. Jaarcijfers 2001 en ramingen 2002. Datawarehouse-Emissieregistratie. Coördinatiecommissie Doelgroepmonitoring, The Hague.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium

More information about the nitrogen and phosphorus balance can be found on Statline (Statistics Netherlands) and in the article Mineralen in de landbouw, 1999-2002* (CBS, 2003).