Struvite Fertilizers - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The struvite fertilizers market size was valued at USD 600 million in 2025 and is estimated to grow from USD 650 million in 2026 to reach USD 940 million by 2031, at a CAGR of 7.80% during the forecast period (2026-2031). This report is Segmented by Product Type (Granular Struvite, Powdered Struvite, and Liquid Struvite), by Application (Agriculture, Horticulture, Turf and Ornamental, and Others), by Crop Type (Cereals and Grains, Fruits and Vegetables, and More), and by Geography (North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and More). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value in USD.

Global Struvite Fertilizers Market Trends and Insights

Phosphorus Scarcity and Import Dependency

Phosphorus is treated as a strategic raw material in Europe because fertilizer supply remains tied to a narrow group of producing countries. In 2025, Around 85% of economically recoverable reserves are concentrated in Morocco and Western Sahara, while China controls a large share of mine-to-market supply. This concentration exposes import-dependent regions to policy shifts and trade disruptions. For Japan, South Korea, Europe, and India, disruptions in mined phosphate flows can quickly affect procurement planning for both utilities and agricultural buyers. Japan has moved toward domestic recovery through its revised Fertilizer Control Act, which established end-of-waste criteria for recovered phosphorus products and supported wastewater-based nutrient recovery systems. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government commissioned a phosphorus recovery facility at its Eastern Sludge Plant in January 2024, and Kobe City expanded its recycled phosphorus project with a third recovery unit planned for fiscal 2027. These developments indicate that the shift is moving beyond policy discussion into physical capacity buildout. The struvite fertilizers market is benefiting from this trend, as each additional ton of recovered phosphorus reduces reliance on imported rock phosphate throughout a project's life. This supply security consideration is becoming more important in long-term offtake decisions, particularly in regions without stable domestic phosphate mining.

Regulatory Nutrient Recovery Mandates

The struvite fertilizers market is also advancing as nutrient recovery shifts from a voluntary practice to a compliance requirement in several major wastewater systems. Germany's revised Sewage Sludge Ordinance requires wastewater treatment plants above 50,000 population equivalents to either reduce phosphorus content in sewage sludge by at least 50% or recover 80% of phosphorus from sewage sludge ash by 2029. This requirement creates a direct path for struvite recovery technologies by making phosphorus extraction a project necessity rather than a discretionary upgrade. At the European level, the EU Fertilising Products Regulation and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2086 allow struvite under Component Material Category 12, enabling CE-marked material to move across the single market with fewer national barriers. South Korea's 2025 legislative revision created an end-of-waste route for recovered phosphorus and required large municipal wastewater plants to install phosphorus recovery systems by 2030. The struvite fertilizers market benefits from these regulations as wastewater operators can manage sludge handling economics while generating a secondary revenue stream from fertilizer output. When regulatory deadlines align with plant investment cycles, adoption tends to progress in defined steps rather than small trials, supporting more predictable capacity growth.

Higher Unit Cost Versus Conventional Phosphate Fertilizers

The struvite fertilizers market faces a clear pricing challenge when competing against conventional phosphate fertilizers in large-volume crop systems. A 2025 Ohio State University field observation cited struvite at USD 0.60 per pound compared with USD 0.40 to USD 0.45 per pound for monoammonium phosphate, even though the same study indicated that lower application rates could support comparable soybean yields over time. This price gap is rooted in crystallization equipment costs, magnesium input requirements, and freight burdens, as many recovery plants are located at wastewater sites rather than near crop demand centers. The barrier is more pronounced in countries where conventional phosphate fertilizers receive public subsidies, as these widen the cost gap at the point of sale. The slow-release profile of struvite can improve cost effectiveness over multiple seasons, as part of the phosphorus remains available after the first crop cycle, but this value is difficult to communicate within an annual procurement process. Commodity buyers typically compare invoice prices rather than season-by-season nutrient efficiency, which slows adoption. The struvite fertilizers market is therefore advancing first in applications where performance, certification, or runoff reduction can justify a higher upfront price. Wider adoption in broadacre crop systems will likely depend on either stronger agronomic proof at scale or a reduction in the delivered cost gap.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Circular Economy Adoption in Wastewater Recovery
• Premium Demand for Low-Carbon and Organic-Approved Inputs
• Limited Farmer Familiarity and Distribution Depth

Segment Analysis

Granular struvite held 45.2% of the market in 2025, making it the largest product format in the struvite fertilizers market. Its dominant position stems from direct compatibility with existing spreaders, seed-safe placement near germinating crops, and the fact that commercial production systems have been built primarily around pellet output. Granular adoption has also been supported by field research from Ohio State University and the University of Illinois, which demonstrated equivalent crop yields to monoammonium phosphate at lower application rates in cereal systems. This combination of equipment compatibility and agronomic familiarity gives granular struvite a strong position in broadacre settings and explains why early market volume has been built through farm systems that require no changes in handling practices.

Liquid struvite is the fastest-growing format, with this segment projected to expand at an 8.8% CAGR through 2031. Growth is being driven by fertigation-based horticulture, where soluble nutrient delivery via drip systems is standard, while solid granules are less practical. Powdered struvite occupies a position between these two formats, suited to specialty applications such as nursery substrate blending and turf establishment mixes where fine, even coverage is required. Product regulation is also becoming more important across all formats, as Europe's harmonized fertilizer framework reduces uncertainty around quality definitions and labeling requirements. As a result, the struvite fertilizers market is seeing a clearer separation between granular large-scale applications, liquid precision uses, and powdered specialty niches.

Complete Report Scope:

• By Product Type
  • Granular Struvite
  • Powdered Struvite
  • Liquid Struvite
• By Application
  • Agriculture
  • Horticulture
  • Turf and Ornamental
  • Other Applications
• By Crop Type
  • Cereals and Grains
  • Fruits and Vegetables
  • Oilseeds and Pulses
  • Other Crop Types
• By Region
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
    • Rest of North America
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Rest of South America
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • France
    • United Kingdom
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Russia
    • Turkey
    • Rest of Europe
  • Asia-Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  • Middle East
    • Saudi Arabia
    • United Arab Emirates
    • Rest of Middle East
  • Africa
    • South Africa
    • Egypt
    • Rest of Africa

Geography Analysis

North America held a 35.8% share in 2025, maintaining its position as the largest regional market for struvite fertilizers. The region is projected to expand at a CAGR of 7.0% to 8.0% through 2031, supported by established commercial production and clearer regulatory treatment for recovered phosphorus products. The United States has the most developed commercial base, with Ostara's St. Louis facility supplying CG P2X to retailers across the Midwest and Pacific Northwest under a domestic production model that reduced tariff exposure in 2025. Canada also remains active, with wastewater upgrades such as Winnipeg's incorporating struvite extraction for commercial output. South America represents a smaller market at present, but large-scale agriculture and expanding wastewater infrastructure are anticipated to create a new supply of recovered nutrients over time.

Europe is projected to grow, with regulation remaining the primary driver of market expansion. Germany's 2029 phosphorus recovery deadline is driving municipal investment, and the P-Net project at Braunschweig and Gifhorn is testing optimized precipitation to meet future sludge limits. Belgium produces an estimated 16% to 20% of Europe's commercial struvite, with NuReSys and AirPrex holding strong positions in the production landscape. The Netherlands, with around 50 full-scale recovery installations and some spare capacity, demonstrates that supply development can advance faster than offtake unless agronomic marketing and procurement channels also improve.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region in the struvite fertilizers market, with a projected CAGR of 9.5% through 2031. Japan leads the region in regulatory and commercial maturity, as its 2020 Fertilizer Control Act revision established clear contaminant limits for recovered phosphorus and supported domestic recovery projects. Kobe City expanded its recycled phosphorus project and planned an additional recovery unit for fiscal 2027, confirming that municipal-scale recovery is already operational in Japan. India is also building domestic capability, with Thermax opening a new water and waste solutions manufacturing facility in Pune in April 2024, tied to an order book target of INR 1,000 crore (USD 120 million) for the business. The Middle East and Africa are expanding supported by large wastewater projects such as WABAG's 60 MLD Ajman Sewage Biorefinery Plant Phase 3, awarded in June 2026, which illustrates the scale of infrastructure that can eventually support nutrient recovery co-location.

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

• Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc.
• Veolia Water Technologies
• SUEZ Water Technologies and Solutions
• CNP - Technology Water and Biosolids Corporation
• Nijhuis Saur Industries
• AirPrex (P.C.S. Pollution Control Service GmbH)
• NuReSys
• Thermax Limited
• WABAG Group
• Xylem Inc.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support