Urea serves as the de facto fertilizer for agriculture and food production globally. It provides a concentrated nitrogen nutrient source, which is essential for plant growth and crop yields. Urea can be applied in solid or liquid form on fields through broadcasting, band placement, or blended into compound fertilizers. Urea promotes development in leafy vegetables, rice, wheat, corn, sugarcane, and fiber crops. Granular urea is convenient for farmers to handle and store. With a growing world population, urea enables higher agricultural productivity and food security.

Urea is a critical component for a wide range of industrial processes and products. Its high nitrogen concentration makes it useful for manufacturing resins, plastics, adhesives, and more. Urea also plays a key role as a raw material in chemical systems like automotive selective catalytic reduction to lower emissions. Additional industrial applications include urea-formaldehyde for engineered wood, urea-based binders in paints and coatings, and urea as a livestock feed additive. The versatility of urea stems from its chemical properties and cost-effectiveness.