China Specialty Fertilizer Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Segment Analysis

By Specialty Type: CRF Innovation Drives Future Growth

Liquid fertilizers maintain the largest market share at 57.2% in 2024 through established fertigation infrastructure. Liquid fertilizers represent a significant portion of the market, offering advantages such as easy absorption by plants and compatibility with various application methods, including irrigation and spraying systems. The SRF segment, while smaller in market share, plays a crucial role in providing sustained nutrient release over extended periods, particularly beneficial for long-duration crops. This segmentation pattern reflects underlying agricultural practices and infrastructure development, creating targeted market opportunities for specialized suppliers.

Controlled-release fertilizers emerge as the fastest-growing specialty type at 7.2% CAGR through 2030, driven by government carbon credit pilots and precision agriculture adoption. The CRF segment benefits from technological advances in polymer coating chemistry, with manufacturers developing biodegradable alternatives that address environmental regulations while maintaining nutrient release precision. Water-soluble fertilizers capture significant greenhouse and hydroponic applications, particularly in protected horticulture operations requiring precise nutrient control. Regional preferences vary significantly, with northern provinces favoring CRF for grain production efficiency, while southern regions emphasize liquid formulations for intensive vegetable cultivation. 

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Application Mode: Soil Application Gains Momentum

Fertigation emerged as the dominant application mode in China's specialty fertilizer market, commanding approximately 51.4% market share in 2024. This significant market position can be attributed to the growing adoption of irrigation agricultural practices and precision agriculture techniques across the country. The segment's prominence is further strengthened by its ability to effectively address challenges like water scarcity and nutrient deficiencies through minimal water usage and precise nutrient delivery. Regulatory compliance factors increasingly influence application mode selection, as GB standards for fertilizer application efficiency favor methods demonstrating reduced environmental impact and improved nutrient utilization ^{[3]Source: Ministry of Ecology and Environment, “Agricultural Environmental Protection Regulations 2024,” MEE.GOV.CN} .

Soil application methods are growing at a 6.9% CAGR through 2030, driven by increasing awareness of soil nutrient deficiencies and the adoption of advanced controlled-release fertilizer technologies. This segment is particularly gaining traction due to its effectiveness in strengthening plant root systems and providing sustained nutrient release. The growing popularity of controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) and slow-release fertilizers (SRFs) is bolstering this segment's expansion, as these products enhance nitrogen use efficiency while reducing excessive nitrogen applications.The soil application segment benefits from advances in variable-rate application equipment and GPS-guided spreaders that optimize nutrient placement without requiring irrigation infrastructure investments.

By Crop Type: Horticultural Surge Reshapes Demand

Field crops maintain a 67.8% market share in 2024 due to China's grain security priorities. This segment's prominence is primarily driven by the extensive cultivation of staple crops like rice, maize, and wheat, which collectively contribute to over 90% of the nation's food production. The segment's dominance is further reinforced by China's focus on food security and self-sufficiency, leading to increased adoption of specialty fertilizers to enhance crop yields. Water-soluble and liquid fertilizers are particularly popular in this segment, as these formulations effectively address nutrient deficiencies during critical growth stages. The segment's strength is also attributed to the country's vast agricultural landscape, where field crops occupy about 70.8% of the total cultivated land, with major cultivation zones spread across regions like Heilongjiang, Hunan, Jiangxi, and other key agricultural provinces.

Horticultural crops accelerate at 7.7% CAGR through 2030, reflecting dietary transitions toward higher-value produce and corresponding premium fertilization practices. The horticultural segment drives demand for specialized micronutrient formulations and precise application timing, creating opportunities for suppliers with crop-specific expertise and technical advisory capabilities. This segment encompasses a wide range of crops, including vegetables, fruits, and commercial flowers, each requiring specific nutrient management strategies. The segment's importance is underscored by China's position as the world's largest producer of fruits and vegetables, with major growing regions spread across diverse climatic zones. The adoption of horticultural fertilizers in horticultural crops is driven by the need for quality produce, export requirements, and the growing trend toward protected cultivation methods like greenhouse systems and poly houses, where precise nutrient management is essential for optimal yields and quality.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

China's specialty fertilizer market exhibits pronounced regional variations reflecting agricultural practices, economic development levels, and infrastructure capabilities across provinces. Eastern coastal provinces, including Shandong, Jiangsu, and Guangdong, lead adoption with nearly half of the national specialty fertilizer consumption in 2024, driven by intensive horticulture, advanced irrigation infrastructure, and proximity to manufacturing centers. These regions benefit from higher agricultural incomes, better extension services, and stronger environmental compliance enforcement that favors specialty products over conventional alternatives. Shandong, being one of the major specialty fertilizer-consuming provinces, is supported by its position as China's largest vegetable producer and early adopter of precision agriculture technologies.

Northern provinces demonstrate rapid growth in controlled-release fertilizer adoption, with Hebei, Henan, and Inner Mongolia collectively expanding specialty fertilizer use by 18% annually through precision grain production initiatives. Water scarcity in these regions drives fertigation system adoption, creating concentrated demand for liquid and water-soluble formulations compatible with drip irrigation infrastructure. Government subsidies for high-efficiency fertilizers achieve higher uptake rates in northern grain-producing areas, where large-scale operations and agricultural cooperatives can efficiently navigate subsidy application processes. The region's focus on food security and sustainable intensification aligns with specialty fertilizer value propositions, supporting continued market expansion.

Central and western provinces represent emerging growth opportunities despite current lower adoption rates, as infrastructure development and income growth gradually overcome cost barriers to specialty fertilizer use. Xinjiang's rapid greenhouse expansion creates localized demand spikes for specialized nutrients, while Yunnan's tea and flower cultivation drives customized formulation requirements. Government development programs targeting these regions include agricultural modernization components that favor specialty fertilizer adoption, though implementation timelines extend beyond the current forecast period. Regional supply chain challenges in these areas create opportunities for manufacturers with efficient distribution networks and local technical support capabilities.