Peat: Stocks
Centuries of reserves, still slowly growing on many bogs
What this tab covers How much is left and how much is held. For minerals and energy: reserves, current output, years of supply and recycling for the top five countries. For farm commodities: production, ending stocks and stocks-to-use for the top five producers (USDA, October 2026). It also covers inventories and stockpiles.Top five countries: reserves, output and years of supply
| Country | Reserves kt peat | Current output kt peat (2025e) | Years of supply | Recycling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finland | 6,000,000 | 2,500 | 2400 | n/a |
| Canada | 720,000 | 2,000 | 360 | n/a |
| Latvia | 150,000 | 2,000 | 75 | n/a |
| Belarus | 2,600,000 | 1,800 | 1444 | n/a |
| Russia | 1,000,000 | 1,800 | 556 | n/a |
Recycling
Peat is not recycled (USGS: none). It is partly renewable: peat still accumulates on 60% of world peatlands, but peatland volume is falling by 0.05% a year from harvesting and land development (USGS 2026). Reserves of countries reporting by volume only are included under 'other countries' by USGS.
USGS puts world reserves at 13 billion t, led by Finland (6.0 billion t) and Belarus (2.6 billion t). At 2025 output that is about 765 years. Peat is technically renewable, still accumulating on 60% of peatlands. Yet global peatland volume shrinks about 0.05% a year from harvesting and land development, and regrowth is very slow. Much of the reserve sits in bogs valued as carbon sinks, so the usable figure is a policy choice. Peat is not recycled. US producer stocks fell from 220,000 t in 2024 to 160,000 t in 2025.
Reserves
World reserves 13,000,000 thousand metric tons (some volume data converted using average bulk density) Reserve life 765 years at 2025 production Finland 46% Belarus 20% Russia 8% Canada 6% Estonia 4% Largest reserve holders, share of world reserves (USGS MCS 2026). Reserves are what is economic to extract today, not what exists.None.