Salient Peat Statistics

This table presents key statistics on peat production, sales, trade, and stocks in the United States, along with global production figures. Peat is an important natural resource used primarily in horticulture, agriculture, and as a fuel source in some regions. Understanding production volumes, market values, and trade flows is essential for assessing the economic significance of peat, monitoring industry trends, and informing resource management and policy decisions. The data also provide insights into the domestic market dynamics and the United States’ position within the global peat industry.

From 2019 to 2023, the number of active peat producers in the U.S. slightly declined from 28 to 26, while production fluctuated, peaking at 366 thousand metric tons in 2019 and settling at 329 thousand metric tons in 2023. Notably, total sales quantity increased substantially from 420 thousand metric tons in 2019 to 498 thousand metric tons in 2023, driven largely by a sharp rise in packaged peat sales, which doubled from 133 thousand metric tons in 2019 to 250 thousand metric tons in 2023. Despite this growth in sales volume, the average value per metric ton decreased from $25.77 in 2019 to $23.02 in 2023, with packaged peat seeing a pronounced drop in average value from $22.86 to $10.54 per ton. Imports for consumption peaked at 1,630 thousand metric tons in 2021 but declined to 1,170 thousand metric tons by 2023, while apparent consumption followed a similar trend, decreasing from 1,970 thousand metric tons in 2021 to 1,500 thousand metric tons in 2023. Globally, peat production showed a modest decline from 28 million metric tons in 2019 to 22.1 million metric tons in 2023, indicating a gradual contraction in worldwide output.