Global Urea Market: Strategic Status and Forecast Analysis (2026–2036)
This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Urea market, examining the dynamics of production, consumption, and the transition toward sustainable nitrogen solutions. Urea (carbamide) remains the most significant nitrogenous fertilizer globally, while its industrial and automotive applications are expanding rapidly due to environmental mandates.
1. Market Overview and Segmentation
Urea is a white, crystalline solid containing 46% nitrogen. It is synthesized primarily from ammonia and carbon dioxide.
By Type:
-
Granular Urea: The most common form; preferred for large-scale mechanized farming due to its physical strength and slower release compared to prills.
-
Prilled Urea: Smaller particles, often used in specialized applications and regions where manual broadcasting is prevalent.
-
Technical/Industrial Grade: High-purity urea used for resins, glues, and chemical synthesis.
-
Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN): A liquid fertilizer blend increasingly popular in precision agriculture.
By Application:
-
Agriculture (Fertilizers): Dominates approximately 80% of global volume.
-
Chemical Industry: Production of Urea-Formaldehyde (UF) and Melamine-Formaldehyde (MF) resins for wood panels and adhesives.
-
Automotive (DEF/AdBlue): Used in Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems to reduce NOx emissions in diesel engines.
-
Animal Feed: Used as a non-protein nitrogen (NPN) source for ruminants.
2. Key Market Players
The market is characterized by massive production hubs located near low-cost feedstock (natural gas or coal).
-
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (USA): A leading global producer with significant exports.
-
Yara International ASA (Norway): Focuses on premium products and digital farming solutions.
-
Nutrien Ltd. (Canada): A dominant player in the North American and South American retail and wholesale sectors.
-
SABIC (Saudi Arabia): Leverages low-cost natural gas for high-volume exports via the Port of Jubail.
-
Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO): One of the world’s largest single-site urea producers.
-
EuroChem Group (Switzerland/Russia): A vertically integrated giant with significant global reach.
-
IFFCO (India): A massive cooperative driving the Indian domestic market.
-
OCI N.V. (Netherlands): A leader in the transition toward "Green" and "Blue" ammonia/urea.
3. Regional Analysis
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Asia-Pacific: The largest consumer and producer. China is a major producer (primarily coal-based), while India is the largest importer, driven by government subsidies and a massive agrarian population.
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North America: High demand for Granular Urea and UAN. The US has seen capacity expansions due to the shale gas revolution.
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Middle East: The primary export hub. With abundant natural gas, countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman dictate global export pricing.
-
Europe: Focused on high-efficiency urea and environmental applications (AdBlue). This region is the leader in "Green Urea" pilot projects.
-
Latin America: Brazil is a critical growth market, relying heavily on urea imports for its massive soybean and corn exports.
4. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
-
Threat of New Entrants (Low): High barriers to entry due to massive capital expenditure (CAPEX) for plants and the need for secured, low-cost natural gas contracts.
-
Bargaining Power of Buyers (Medium to High): Large agricultural cooperatives and government procurement agencies (like in India) can significantly influence prices.
-
Bargaining Power of Suppliers (High): Urea production is tethered to the price of natural gas (or coal). Suppliers of these feedstocks hold immense leverage over production costs.
-
Threat of Substitutes (Low): While ammonium nitrate or manure are alternatives, urea’s high nitrogen density and ease of transport make it difficult to replace at scale.
-
Competitive Rivalry (High): Global trade is highly sensitive to price fluctuations and logistics costs, leading to intense competition between major export hubs.
5. SWOT Analysis
-
Strengths: High nitrogen content (46%); well-established global logistics; essential for global food security.
-
Weaknesses: High carbon footprint (CO2 emissions during production); susceptibility to leaching and volatilization if not managed correctly.
-
Opportunities: Expansion of the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) market; development of Green Urea using renewable hydrogen; precision agriculture technologies.
-
Threats: Strict environmental regulations regarding nitrogen runoff; extreme volatility in natural gas prices.
6. Trend Analysis
-
The Rise of "Green" and "Blue" Urea: Companies are investing in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to produce Blue Urea, or using electrolysis-based hydrogen for Green Urea to meet net-zero targets.
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Controlled-Release Urea (CRU): Growing demand for polymer-coated urea that releases nutrients slowly, reducing environmental impact and labor costs.
-
AdBlue/DEF Expansion: As emission standards (Euro VI, China VI) tighten globally, the demand for industrial-grade urea in the automotive sector is surging.
7. Market Drivers and Challenges
-
Drivers:
-
Food Security: A growing global population requires higher crop yields per hectare.
-
Industrialization: Growth in the construction and furniture sectors driving demand for UF resins.
-
Environmental Mandates: Stricter NOx emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles.
-
-
Challenges:
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Energy Prices: Urea is essentially "packaged natural gas"; energy crises directly cause price spikes.
-
Regulatory Scrutiny: Evolving policies on nitrogen usage in regions like the EU (Farm to Fork strategy).
-
8. Value Chain Analysis
-
Feedstock (Upstream): Sourcing of Natural Gas (CH4) or Coal to produce Hydrogen and CO2.
-
Synthesis (Midstream): The Haber-Bosch process to create Ammonia, followed by the Bosch-Meiser process to react Ammonia with CO2 to form Urea.
-
Processing: Granulation or prilling; adding coatings for value-added products.
-
Distribution: Bulk shipment via sea and rail to regional blenders and retailers.
-
End-User (Downstream): Farmers, chemical manufacturers, and automotive logistics providers.
9. Quick Recommendations for Stakeholders
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For Producers: Diversify energy sources. Investing in Blue Ammonia technology is no longer optional but a requirement for long-term viability in the export market.
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For Investors: Focus on regions with low-cost gas feedstock (Middle East/USA) or regions with high demand growth (Brazil/Southeast Asia).
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For Distributors: Expand storage and logistics for AdBlue/DEF, as this industrial segment offers higher margins and less seasonal volatility than the fertilizer market.
-
For Agricultural Agencies: Promote Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers (EEFs) to help farmers comply with environmental regulations while maintaining yields.
Table of Contents
Global Urea Market Professional Survey Report
1 Industry Overview of Urea
1.1 Definition and Specifications of Urea
1.1.1 Definition of Urea
1.1.2 Specifications of Urea
1.2 Classification of Urea
1.2.1 Granular urea
1.2.2 Small particles of urea
1.3 Applications of Urea
1.3.1 Agriculture
1.3.2 Industry
1.3.3 Others
1.4 Market Segment by Regions
1.4.1 North America
1.4.2 Europe
1.4.3 China
1.4.4 Japan
1.4.5 Southeast Asia
1.4.6 India
2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Urea
2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers
2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Urea
2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Urea
2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Urea
3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Urea
3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Urea Major Manufacturers in
3.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Urea Major Manufacturers in
3.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Urea Major Manufacturers in
3.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Urea Major Manufacturers in
4 Global Urea Overall Market Overview
4.1 -E Overall Market Analysis
4.2 Capacity Analysis
4.2.1 -E Global Urea Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis
4.2.2 Urea Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)
4.3 Sales Analysis
4.3.1 -E Global Urea Sales and Growth Rate Analysis
4.3.2 Urea Sales Analysis (Company Segment)
4.4 Sales Price Analysis
4.4.1 -E Global Urea Sales Price
4.4.2 Urea Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)
5 Urea Regional Market Analysis
5.1 North America Urea Market Analysis
5.1.1 North America Urea Market Overview
5.1.2 North America -E Urea Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis
5.1.3 North America -E Urea Sales Price Analysis
5.1.4 North America Urea Market Share Analysis
5.2 Europe Urea Market Analysis
5.2.1 Europe Urea Market Overview
5.2.2 Europe -E Urea Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis
5.2.3 Europe -E Urea Sales Price Analysis
5.2.4 Europe Urea Market Share Analysis
5.3 China Urea Market Analysis
5.3.1 China Urea Market Overview
5.3.2 China -E Urea Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis
5.3.3 China -E Urea Sales Price Analysis
5.3.4 China Urea Market Share Analysis
5.4 Japan Urea Market Analysis
5.4.1 Japan Urea Market Overview
5.4.2 Japan -E Urea Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis
5.4.3 Japan -E Urea Sales Price Analysis
5.4.4 Japan Urea Market Share Analysis
5.5 Southeast Asia Urea Market Analysis
5.5.1 Southeast Asia Urea Market Overview
5.5.2 Southeast Asia -E Urea Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis
5.5.3 Southeast Asia -E Urea Sales Price Analysis
5.5.4 Southeast Asia Urea Market Share Analysis
5.6 India Urea Market Analysis
5.6.1 India Urea Market Overview
5.6.2 India -E Urea Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis
5.6.3 India -E Urea Sales Price Analysis
5.6.4 India Urea Market Share Analysis
6 Global -E Urea Segment Market Analysis (by Type)
6.1 Global -E Urea Sales by Type
6.2 Different Types of Urea Product Interview Price Analysis
6.3 Different Types of Urea Product Driving Factors Analysis
6.3.1 Granular urea Growth Driving Factor Analysis
6.3.2 Small particles of urea Growth Driving Factor Analysis
7 Global -E Urea Segment Market Analysis (by Application)
7.1 Global -E Urea Consumption by Application
7.2 Different Application of Urea Product Interview Price Analysis
7.3 Different Application of Urea Product Driving Factors Analysis
7.3.1 Agriculture of Urea Growth Driving Factor Analysis
7.3.2 Industry of Urea Growth Driving Factor Analysis
7.3.3 Others of Urea Growth Driving Factor Analysis
8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Urea
8.1 QAFCO
8.1.1 Company Profile
8.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications
8.1.2.1 Product A
8.1.2.2 Product B
8.1.3 QAFCO Urea Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis
8.1.4 QAFCO Urea Business Region Distribution Analysis
8.2 Yara
8.2.1 Company Profile
8.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications
8.2.2.1 Product A
8.2.2.2 Product B
8.2.3 Yara Urea Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis
8.2.4 Yara Urea Business Region Distribution Analysis
8.3 KOCH
8.3.1 Company Profile
8.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications
8.3.2.1 Product A
8.3.2.2 Product B
8.3.3 KOCH Urea Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis
8.3.4 KOCH Urea Business Region Distribution Analysis
8.4 SABIC
8.4.1 Company Profile
8.4.2 Product Picture and Specifications
8.4.2.1 Product A
8.4.2.2 Product B
8.4.3 SABIC Urea Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis
8.4.4 SABIC Urea Business Region Distribution Analysis
8.5 OCI
8.5.1 Company Profile
8.5.2 Product Picture and Specifications
8.5.2.1 Product A
8.5.2.2 Product B
8.5.3 OCI Urea Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis
8.5.4 OCI Urea Business Region Distribution Analysis
8.6 CF Industries
8.6.1 Company Profile
8.6.2 Product Picture and Specifications
8.6.2.1 Product A
8.6.2.2 Product B
8.6.3 CF Industries Urea Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis
8.6.4 CF Industries Urea Business Region Distribution Analysis
8.7 Agrium Inc.
8.7.1 Company Profile
8.7.2 Product Picture and Specifications
8.7.2.1 Product A
8.7.2.2 Product B
8.7.3 Agrium Inc. Urea Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis
8.7.4 Agrium Inc. Urea Business Region Distribution Analysis
8.8 EuroChem
8.8.1 Company Profile
8.8.2 Product Picture and Specifications
8.8.2.1 Product A
8.8.2.2 Product B
8.8.3 EuroChem Urea Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis
8.8.4 EuroChem Urea Business Region Distribution Analysis
8.9 Group DF
8.9.1 Company Profile
8.9.2 Product Picture and Specifications
8.9.2.1 Product A
8.9.2.2 Product B
8.9.3 Group DF Urea Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis
8.9.4 Group DF Urea Business Region Distribution Analysis
8.10 PotashCorp
8.10.1 Company Profile
8.10.2 Product Picture and Specifications
8.10.2.1 Product A
8.10.2.2 Product B
8.10.3 PotashCorp Urea Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis
8.10.4 PotashCorp Urea Business Region Distribution Analysis
8.11 Hubei Yihua Chemical Industry
8.12 CNPC
8.13 Rui Xing Group
8.14 Luxi Chemical Group
8.15 Huajin Chemical Industries
8.16 Hualu-hengsheng
8.17 Sichuan Lutianhua
8.18 Lanhua Sci-tech
9 Development Trend of Analysis of Urea Market
9.1 Global Urea Market Trend Analysis
9.1.1 Global Urea Market Size (Volume and Value) Forecast
9.1.2 Global Urea Sales Price Forecast
9.2 Urea Regional Market Trend
9.2.1 North America Urea Consumption Forecast
9.2.2 Europe Urea Consumption Forecast
9.2.3 China Urea Consumption Forecast
9.2.4 Japan Urea Consumption Forecast
9.2.5 Southeast Asia Urea Consumption Forecast
9.2.6 India Urea Consumption Forecast
9.3 Urea Market Trend (Product Type)
9.4 Urea Market Trend (Application)
10 Urea Marketing Type Analysis
10.1 Urea Regional Marketing Type Analysis
10.2 Urea International Trade Type Analysis
10.3 Traders or Distributors with Contact Information of Urea by Region
10.4 Urea Supply Chain Analysis
11 Consumers Analysis of Urea
11.1 Consumer 1 Analysis
11.2 Consumer 2 Analysis
11.3 Consumer 3 Analysis
11.4 Consumer 4 Analysis
12 Conclusion of the Global Urea Market Professional Survey Report
Methodology
Analyst Introduction
Data Source
List of Tables and Figures
Figure Picture of Urea
Table Product Specifications of Urea
Table Classification of Urea
Figure Global Production Market Share of Urea by Type in
Figure Granular urea Picture
Table Major Manufacturers of Granular urea
Figure Small particles of urea Picture
Table Major Manufacturers of Small particles of urea
Table Applications of Urea
Figure Global Consumption Volume Market Share of Urea by Application in
Figure Agriculture Examples
Table Major Consumers in Agriculture
Figure Industry Examples
Table Major Consumers in Industry
Figure Others Examples
Table Major Consumers in Others
Figure Market Share of Urea by Regions
Figure North America Urea Market Size (Million USD) (-2025)
Figure Europe Urea Market Size (Million USD) (-2025)
Figure China Urea Market Size (Million USD) (-2025)
Figure Japan Urea Market Size (Million USD) (-2025)
Figure Southeast Asia Urea Market Size (Million USD) (-2025)
Figure India Urea Market Size (Million USD) (-2025)
Table Urea Raw Material and Suppliers
Table Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Urea in
Figure Manufacturing Process Analysis of Urea
Figure Industry Chain Structure of Urea
Table Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Urea Major Manufacturers in
Table Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Urea Major Manufacturers in
Table R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Urea Major Manufacturers in
Table Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Urea Major Manufacturers in
Table Global Capacity, Sales , Price, Cost, Sales Revenue (M USD) and Gross Margin of Urea -E
Figure Global -E Urea Market Size (Volume) and Growth Rate
Figure Global -E Urea Market Size (Value) and Growth Rate
Table -E Global Urea Capacity and Growth Rate
Table Global Urea Capacity (K MT) List (Company Segment)
Table -E Global Urea Sales (K MT) and Growth Rate
Table Global Urea Sales (K MT) List (Company Segment)
Table -E Global Urea Sales Price (USD/MT)
Table Global Urea Sales Price (USD/MT) List (Company Segment)
Figure North America Capacity Overview
Table North America Supply, Import, Export and Consumption (K MT) of Urea -E
Figure North America -E Urea Sales Price (USD/MT)
Figure North America Urea Sales Market Share
Figure Europe Capacity Overview
Table Europe Supply, Import, Export and Consumption (K MT) of Urea -E
Figure Europe -E Urea Sales Price (USD/MT)
Figure Europe Urea Sales Market Share
Figure China Capacity Overview
Table China Supply, Import, Export and Consumption (K MT) of Urea -E
Figure China -E Urea Sales Price (USD/MT)
Figure China Urea Sales Market Share
Figure Japan Capacity Overview
Table Japan Supply, Import, Export and Consumption (K MT) of Urea -E
Figure Japan -E Urea Sales Price (USD/MT)
Figure Japan Urea Sales Market Share
Figure Southeast Asia Capacity Overview
Table Southeast Asia Supply, Import, Export and Consumption (K MT) of Urea -E
Figure Southeast Asia -E Urea Sales Price (USD/MT)
Figure Southeast Asia Urea Sales Market Share
Figure India Capacity Overview
Table India Supply, Import, Export and Consumption (K MT) of Urea -E
Figure India -E Urea Sales Price (USD/MT)
Figure India Urea Sales Market Share
Table Global -E Urea Sales (K MT) by Type
Table Different Types Urea Product Interview Price
Table Global -E Urea Sales (K MT) by Application
Table Different Application Urea Product Interview Price
Table QAFCO Information List
Table Product Overview
Table QAFCO Urea Revenue (Million USD), Sales (K MT), Ex-factory Price (USD/MT)
Figure QAFCO Urea Business Region Distribution
Table Yara Information List
Table Product Overview
Table Yara Urea Revenue (Million USD), Sales (K MT), Ex-factory Price (USD/MT)
Figure Yara Urea Business Region Distribution
Table KOCH Information List
Table Product Overview
Table KOCH Urea Revenue (Million USD), Sales (K MT), Ex-factory Price (USD/MT)
Figure KOCH Urea Business Region Distribution
Table SABIC Information List
Table Product Overview
Table SABIC Urea Revenue (Million USD), Sales (K MT), Ex-factory Price (USD/MT)
Figure SABIC Urea Business Region Distribution
Table OCI Information List
Table Product Overview
Table OCI Urea Revenue (Million USD), Sales (K MT), Ex-factory Price (USD/MT)
Figure OCI Urea Business Region Distribution
Table CF Industries Information List
Table Product Overview
Table CF Industries Urea Revenue (Million USD), Sales (K MT), Ex-factory Price (USD/MT)
Figure CF Industries Urea Business Region Distribution
Table Agrium Inc. Information List
Table Product Overview
Table Agrium Inc. Urea Revenue (Million USD), Sales (K MT), Ex-factory Price (USD/MT)
Figure Agrium Inc. Urea Business Region Distribution
Table EuroChem Information List
Table Product Overview
Table EuroChem Urea Revenue (Million USD), Sales (K MT), Ex-factory Price (USD/MT)
Figure EuroChem Urea Business Region Distribution
Table Group DF Information List
Table Product Overview
Table Group DF Urea Revenue (Million USD), Sales (K MT), Ex-factory Price (USD/MT)
Figure Group DF Urea Business Region Distribution
Table PotashCorp Information List
Table Product Overview
Table PotashCorp Urea Revenue (Million USD), Sales (K MT), Ex-factory Price (USD/MT)
Figure PotashCorp Urea Business Region Distribution
Table Hubei Yihua Chemical Industry Information List
Table CNPC Information List
Table Rui Xing Group Information List
Table Luxi Chemical Group Information List
Table Huajin Chemical Industries Information List
Table Hualu-hengsheng Information List
Table Sichuan Lutianhua Information List
Table Lanhua Sci-tech Information List
Figure Global Urea Market Size (K MT) and Growth Rate Forecast
Figure Global Urea Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate Forecast
Figure Global Urea Sales Price (USD/MT) Forecast
Figure North America Urea Consumption Volume (K MT) and Growth Rate Forecast
Figure China Urea Consumption Volume (K MT) and Growth Rate Forecast
Figure Europe Urea Consumption Volume (K MT) and Growth Rate Forecast
Figure Southeast Asia Urea Consumption Volume (K MT) and Growth Rate Forecast
Figure Japan Urea Consumption Volume (K MT) and Growth Rate Forecast
Figure India Urea Consumption Volume (K MT) and Growth Rate Forecast
Table Global Sales Volume (K MT) of Urea by Type
Table Global Consumption Volume (K MT) of Urea by Application
Table Traders or Distributors with Contact Information of Urea by Region
Market Overview and Segmentation
Urea is a white, crystalline solid containing 46% nitrogen. It is synthesized primarily from ammonia and carbon dioxide.
By Type:
-
Granular Urea: The most common form; preferred for large-scale mechanized farming due to its physical strength and slower release compared to prills.
-
Prilled Urea: Smaller particles, often used in specialized applications and regions where manual broadcasting is prevalent.
-
Technical/Industrial Grade: High-purity urea used for resins, glues, and chemical synthesis.
-
Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN): A liquid fertilizer blend increasingly popular in precision agriculture.
By Application:
-
Agriculture (Fertilizers): Dominates approximately 80% of global volume.
-
Chemical Industry: Production of Urea-Formaldehyde (UF) and Melamine-Formaldehyde (MF) resins for wood panels and adhesives.
-
Automotive (DEF/AdBlue): Used in Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems to reduce NOx emissions in diesel engines.
-
Animal Feed: Used as a non-protein nitrogen (NPN) source for ruminants.
2. Key Market Players
The market is characterized by massive production hubs located near low-cost feedstock (natural gas or coal).
-
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (USA): A leading global producer with significant exports.
-
Yara International ASA (Norway): Focuses on premium products and digital farming solutions.
-
Nutrien Ltd. (Canada): A dominant player in the North American and South American retail and wholesale sectors.
-
SABIC (Saudi Arabia): Leverages low-cost natural gas for high-volume exports via the Port of Jubail.
-
Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO): One of the world’s largest single-site urea producers.
-
EuroChem Group (Switzerland/Russia): A vertically integrated giant with significant global reach.
-
IFFCO (India): A massive cooperative driving the Indian domestic market.
-
OCI N.V. (Netherlands): A leader in the transition toward "Green" and "Blue" ammonia/urea.
