Table 1. Sugarcane production and N fertilizer application of the top 14 sugarcane producing countries, which account for 86 and 88% of global sugarcane production area and cane yield, respectively.

Country	Areaa(ha)	Productiona(Tg)	N appliedb(Gg)	N Removalc(Gg)	Output Input Ratio	Reported N application rates (kg N ha−1)
1. Brazil	8 141 135	649	613	389	0.6	60–1001
2. India	5 055 200	348	732	209	0.3	150–4002
3. China	1 708 520	125	512	75	0.1	100–7553
4. Thailand	1 054 439	74	44	44	1.0
5. Pakistan	1 241 300	64	231	38	0.2	120–1804
6. Mexico	669 231	51	70	30	0.4
7. Colombia	383 388	39	n/a	23
8. Australia	390 000	34	70	20	0.3	1605
9. Argentina	355 000	30	25	18	0.7
10. USA	374 200	28	40*	17	0.4	78–1466, 247–2807
11. Philippines	397 991	27	11	16	1.4
12. Indonesia	415 578	26	52	16	0.3	1254
13. Guatemala	287 000	25	n/a	15
14. South Africa	425 000	21	57	12	0.2	60–2004
Total	20 897982	1 541	2 457	922	0.47 †

^aFAO area and yield data 2008.

^bHeffer 2009 International Fertilizer Industry Association Assessment of fertilizer use by sugar crops at the global level 2007/2008.

*Figures for USA calculated from average application rate and area, sugarbeet production in remaining countries is minor compared to sugarcane.

^cCalculated based on a stalk dry matter content of 30% and N content of 0.2% dry weight.

¹Hartemink [43].

²Dr. T.K. Srivstava, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India (pers. comm. 2010).

³Dr. Jiang Xiong Liao, Guanxi Sugarcane Research Institute, China (pers. comm. 2010).

⁴FAO Fertilizer use by crop (2005).

⁵Average application rate Wood et al [23].

⁶Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, 'Fertilizer Recommendations-(2009).

⁷R. Rice, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, USA (pers. comm. 2010).

^†Weighted average output/input ratio.