Sulfur Market Report 2026

The sulfur market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $16.37 billion in 2025 to $18.05 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of fertilizer production activities, growth of petroleum refining operations, rising demand for sulfuric acid, availability of sulfur deposits, development of sulfur recovery technologies.

The sulfur market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $28.31 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for agricultural nutrients, rising investments in emission reduction technologies, expansion of chemical processing industries, growing focus on sustainable sulfur sourcing, increasing adoption of advanced recovery systems. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing recovery of sulfur from refining processes, rising demand for sulfur-based fertilizers, expansion of automated sulfur mining operations, growing use of sulfur in chemical manufacturing, enhanced focus on emission control and recovery.

The expanding agriculture sector is expected to drive the growth of the sulfur market in the coming years. The agriculture sector includes all activities related to land cultivation, crop production, and livestock rearing. Sulfur plays a vital role in agriculture as a key component of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins, supporting proper protein synthesis and promoting healthy plant growth and development. For example, in March 2025, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), a UK-based government department overseeing environmental protection, food production, agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities, reported that the agricultural output price index showed consistent year-on-year increases: rising from 130.6 in 2022 to 132.3 in 2023, and further to 135.7 in 2024, reflecting steady growth in agricultural output prices, while the input index remained unchanged during this period. Thus, the expanding agriculture sector is propelling the growth of the sulfur market.

Major companies in the sulfur market are focusing on developing advanced technologies, such as liquid fertilizer technologies, to expand their customer bases, boost sales, and increase revenue. Liquid fertilizer technology involves innovative methods and processes for producing and applying liquid fertilizers. For instance, Vantage Ag, a Canada-based manufacturer and distributor, introduced a liquid sulfur fertilizer in February 2023. This novel liquid sulfur fertilizer stands out due to its highly efficient nano-particle formulation, designed for optimal coverage and penetration of plant tissue. The small size of the sulfur particles, measuring less than a nanometer, ensures complete bio-availability, facilitating rapid absorption and metabolism by plants. This technological advancement aims to enhance nutrient uptake and utilization by plants, contributing to the growth of the sulfur market.

In November 2024, QatarEnergy, a Qatar-based global energy and natural resources company with significant sulfur production and supply capabilities, signed a 10-year sulfur supply agreement with OCP Nutricrops. This strategic partnership allowed QatarEnergy to secure a long-term offtake and supply relationship aimed at supporting OCP Nutricrops’ growth in the soil nutrition and fertilizer markets by providing a reliable and substantial sulfur supply through 2034. OCP Nutricrops is a Morocco-based company specializing in plant nutrition solutions and phosphate-based fertilizers that rely on sulfur as a critical component in nutrient formulations.

Major companies operating in the sulfur market are China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Shell plc, Coromandel International Ltd., Koch Industries Inc., Nutrien Ltd., The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Yara International ASA, The Mosaic Company, Israel Chemicals Ltd., K+S Aktiengesellschaft, Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd., Treibacher Industrie AG, Haifa Group, Gulf Chemical and Metallurgical Corporation, Ohio Sulfur Mining Company, Freeport Sulfur Company, Texas Gulf Sulfur Company, BASF SE, China National Chemical Corporation, Ecospec Noveltech Pte. Ltd.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the sulfur market in 2025. The regions covered in the sulfur market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the sulfur market report are China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, New Zealand, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Turkey, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa.

The Sulfur market includes revenues earned by entities by providing mining services through conventional underground methods, conventional open-pit methods, and the Frasch mining (or underground melting) method. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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