# Ammonia: Production

Why China's coal-based plants make a third of it

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/production/

Why China's coal-based plants make a third of it What this tab covers Who makes it and how much: world capacity and output, utilisation, the top producing countries and companies globally and in India, concentration, new capacity coming, and each region's position.

| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| **World capacity** | not published in sources reached; US plants ran at about 80% of rated capacity (2025) |  | USGS MCS 2026 |
| **World output** | 190.5 Mt NH3 (2024); 160 Mt N (2025e) |  | IFA via DTN (Dec 2025); USGS MCS 2026 |
| **Capacity utilisation** | US about 80% (2025); Indian urea-linked plants above 100% of reassessed capacity | European plants cut runs whenever TTF spikes; Nutrien shut its Trinidad plant in October 2025 (85 kt ammonia a month) over gas and port access. | USGS MCS 2026; nitrogen tile |
| **Concentration** | China 30.6%; top-3 (China, India, Russia) 49.4%; largest company (CF Industries, 10.1 Mt) about 5% | Production is spread; exports are more concentrated: Trinidad, Saudi Arabia, Canada and Indonesia supplied 58.3% of reported export value in 2024 (Russia does not report). | USGS MCS 2026 (derived); Comtrade 2024 (reporter data) |
| **New capacity** | new conventional capacity in Asia, Eastern Europe and North America; low-carbon projects small but growing | SECI awarded 724 kt a year of green ammonia across 13 projects in 2025 (ACME 370 kt, Jakson 85 kt, SCC 85 kt, NTPC RE 70 kt, Oriana 60 kt, Onix 50 kt, Suryam 4 kt). CF/JERA/Mitsui Blue Point blue ammonia in Louisiana starts civil works in 2026. NEOM green ammonia in Saudi Arabia due about 2026-27 (indicative). CF dropped its Donaldsonville electrolyser in Dec 2025. | SECI via ESMAP (2025); CF Industries 2025 results; USGS MCS 2026 |

#### Top producing countries
 China 30.6% · 49 Mt N (about 60 Mt NH3) India 9.4% · 15 Mt N (about 18 Mt NH3) Russia 9.4% · 15 Mt N (about 18 Mt NH3) United States 8.8% · 14 Mt N (about 17 Mt NH3) Indonesia 3.8% · 6 Mt N (about 7.3 Mt NH3) Saudi Arabia 3.3% · 5.2 Mt N (about 6.3 Mt NH3) USGS MCS 2026 (2025e)

#### Largest producers: global

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **CF Industries** | US | 10.1 Mt gross ammonia produced | 2025 | [CF Industries full-year 2025 results](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260218721950/en/CF-Industries-Holdings-Inc.-Reports-Full-Year-2025-Net-Earnings-of-%241.46-Billion-Adjusted-EBITDA-of-%242.89-Billion) |
| **Yara International** | Norway | 7.07 Mt ammonia produced | 2025 | [Yara Q4 2025 report](https://mb.cision.com/Main/23640/4305594/3927811.pdf) |
| **Nutrien** Trinidad plant shut Oct 2025 | Canada | 10.89 Mt nitrogen products sold (product tonnes, not ammonia) | 2025 | [Nutrien 2025 MD&A (40-F)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1725964/000119312526081326/d56746dex992.htm) |
| **QAFCO (QatarEnergy)** | Qatar | 3.8 Mt ammonia capacity, single site | 2019 | [Gulf Times (Nov 2019)](https://www.gulf-times.com/story/647329/qafco-is-worlds-largest-single-site-producer-of-ammonia-and-urea-al-kaabi) |
| **Pupuk Kalimantan Timur** | Indonesia | 2.77 Mt ammonia produced | 2025 | [Fortune IDN (Jan 2026)](https://www.fortuneidn.com/business/kinerja-produksi-solid-pupuk-kaltim-catat-6-67-juta-ton-di-2025-00-4vfn9-wvhbs4) |

#### Largest producers: India

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **IFFCO** ammonia output not published; about 2.7 Mt implied by urea x 0.567 | India | not published | FY2026 | [Indian Cooperative (2026)](https://www.indiancooperative.com/from-states/iffco-record-highest-profit-and-overall-performance-in-fy-2025-26/amp) |
| **National Fertilizers (NFL)** about 2.1 Mt NH3 implied | India | not published | FY2026 | [NFL directors' report FY2026](https://www.indiainfoline.com/company/national-fertilizer-ltd/reports/directors-report) |
| **Chambal Fertilisers** about 1.9 Mt NH3 implied | India | not published | FY2026 | [Chambal MD&A FY2026](https://www.indiainfoline.com/company/chambal-fertilisers-chemicals-ltd/management-discussions/3029) |
| **Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers** about 1.2 Mt NH3 implied | India | not published | FY2026 | [RCF directors' report FY2026](https://www.arihantcapital.com/company-information/directors-report/2297) |
| **ACME Cleantech (green)** 10-year supply contracts | India | 0.37 Mt a year green ammonia awarded (SECI 2025) | 2025 | [SECI via ESMAP (2025)](https://www.esmap.org/sites/default/files/2022/2025/H4D%20Presentations/1-SECI-Green-Ammonia-Tender-2025.pdf) |

India made about 15 Mt N of ammonia in 2025 (USGS), nearly all tied to urea plants on gas and LNG. It still imported $0.98 billion of ammonia in 2024 (11.9% of world imports), mainly for DAP and NPK makers, with Saudi Arabia ($300 million) and Indonesia ($86 million) among suppliers (Comtrade).

#### Position by region

| Region | Position |
|---|---|
| **US** | 14 Mt N (2025e), 5% net import reliance; imports from Canada (49%) and Trinidad (47%); Gulf Coast price averaged $450 per short ton in 2025 (USGS). |
| **EU** | Germany, the Netherlands and Poland about 2 Mt N each; high gas cost makes EU plants the marginal producers; CBAM applies from 2026. |
| **India** | 15 Mt N, third-largest importer by value ($0.98 billion, 2024); leading green ammonia tender market. |
| **China** | 49 Mt N, mostly coal-based; small exporter ($42 million, 2024). |
| **Japan** | Little production; buyer of fuel ammonia through JERA and Mitsui (Blue Point). |
| **Middle East** | Saudi Arabia 5.2 Mt N, Iran 4.8, Egypt 4.0, Qatar 3.0, Oman 2.0 (USGS); Saudi Arabia 14.1% of export value (2024). |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/routes/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ammonia/links/index.md)