What do we see?
The graph below shows the relationship between animal manure production and the use of these animal fertilisers in the Flemish agricultural sector. For both phosphorus-based fertilisers, much more is produced than used locally, partly due to under-demand and partly due to regulation of fertiliser use. The ratios for both animal fertilisers have increased by 10 percentage points since 2011, with a peak in 2017.
What’s the aim?
In a circular economy, we aim to close cycles as much as possible. Using locally available raw materials as much as possible fits into this, but the extent to which this can be achieved also depends on several other factors. The figures reflect the size of the livestock population in Flanders and the challenges of managing the material flows around it with minimal environmental impact.
What does this indicator measure?
This indicator shows the ratio between the amount of animal manure produced and the amount of animal fertilisers used in Flanders. The data comes from the Fertiliser Report prepared annually by the Flemish Land Agency (VLM).
