7 Meat Exporting Countries You Should Know About

If you are looking for the best sources of meat in the world, you might be interested in knowing which countries export the most beef, pork, poultry, and sheepmeat. In this article, we will rank the top seven meat exporting countries based on their 2020 data from the USDA and FAO, and explain what makes them stand out in the global meat market.

1. Brazil

Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of beef, with a total of 2.6 million metric tons shipped in 2020. Brazil has a large cattle herd of about 215 million head, mostly raised on pasture. Brazil’s beef industry is well-developed and competitive, with low production costs and high quality standards. Brazil exports beef to more than 150 countries, mainly to China, Hong Kong, Egypt, Chile, and Saudi Arabia.

2. Australia

Australia is the second-largest exporter of beef, with 1.5 million metric tons exported in 2020. Australia also ranks fourth in sheepmeat exports, with 422 thousand metric tons shipped in 2020. Australia has a cattle herd of about 25 million head and a sheep flock of about 65 million head. Australia’s meat industry is highly efficient and innovative, with a strong focus on animal welfare and environmental sustainability. Australia exports meat to more than 100 countries, mainly to Japan, China, the United States, South Korea, and Indonesia.

3. The United States

The United States is the third-largest exporter of beef, with 1.3 million metric tons exported in 2020. The United States also ranks second in pork exports, with 2.8 million metric tons shipped in 2020, and third in poultry exports, with 3.2 million metric tons shipped in 2020. The United States has a cattle herd of about 94 million head, a hog inventory of about 77 million head, and a chicken flock of about 9 billion birds. The United States’ meat industry is highly productive and diversified, with a wide range of products and markets. The United States exports meat to more than 200 countries, mainly to Japan, Mexico, China, Canada, and South Korea.

4. India

India is the fourth-largest exporter of beef, with 1.2 million metric tons exported in 2020. India also ranks sixth in poultry exports, with 676 thousand metric tons shipped in 2020. India has a cattle population of about 303 million head and a chicken population of about 851 million birds. India’s meat industry is mainly based on buffalo meat (carabeef) and poultry meat, as cow slaughter is banned or restricted in most states due to religious reasons. India exports meat to more than 70 countries, mainly to Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.

5. Argentina

Argentina is the fifth-largest exporter of beef, with 897 thousand metric tons exported in 2020. Argentina also ranks seventh in poultry exports, with 408 thousand metric tons shipped in 2020. Argentina has a cattle herd of about 54 million head and a chicken flock of about 160 million birds. Argentina’s meat industry is renowned for its high-quality grass-fed beef and its export-oriented poultry sector. Argentina exports meat to more than 90 countries, mainly to China, Chile, Israel, Germany, and Russia.

6. New Zealand

New Zealand is the sixth-largest exporter of beef, with 583 thousand metric tons exported in 2020. New Zealand also ranks first in sheepmeat exports, with 453 thousand metric tons shipped in 2020. New Zealand has a cattle herd of about 10 million head and a sheep flock of about 26 million head. New Zealand’s meat industry is based on free-range grazing systems that produce lean and tender meat. New Zealand exports meat to more than 120 countries, mainly to China, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan.

7. Canada

Canada is the seventh-largest exporter of beef, with 509 thousand metric tons exported in 2020. Canada also ranks fourth in pork exports, with 1.4 million metric tons shipped in 2020. Canada has a cattle herd of about 12 million head and a hog inventory of about 14 million head. Canada’s meat industry is modern and integrated, with high standards of food safety and animal health. Canada exports meat to more than 100 countries, mainly to the United States, China, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea.

Meat Exporting Countries: Trends and Statistics

Meat is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world, with a global market value of over 897 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. The demand for meat products is influenced by various factors, such as population growth, income levels, consumer preferences, health concerns, environmental issues, and trade policies. In this blog post, we will explore some of the trends and statistics of meat exporting countries, focusing on three main categories: beef, pork, and poultry.

Beef Exports

Beef is the most valuable meat export in the world, accounting for about 40% of the total meat exports in 2022. The top beef exporting countries in 2022 were the United States, Brazil, Netherlands, Germany, and Australia, which together shipped 76.4% of all beef exports by value. The United States was the largest beef exporter, with a value of 17.6 billion U.S. dollars, followed by Brazil with 15.5 billion U.S. dollars.

The fastest-growing beef exporters in 2022 were Paraguay, New Zealand, Argentina, and Brazil, which increased their exports by more than 100% compared to 2021. Paraguay was the most impressive performer, with a staggering 584.1% growth rate, reaching a value of 1.3 billion U.S. dollars. Some of the factors that contributed to the growth of beef exports from these countries were favorable exchange rates, increased production capacity, improved sanitary standards, and access to new markets.

Pork Exports

Pork is the second most valuable meat export in the world, accounting for about 30% of the total meat exports in 2022. The top pork exporting countries in 2022 were the European Union, the United States, Canada, Brazil, and China, which together shipped 83.7% of all pork exports by value. The European Union was the largest pork exporter, with a value of 12.8 billion U.S. dollars, followed by the United States with 7.6 billion U.S. dollars.

The fastest-growing pork exporters in 2022 were China, Brazil, the United States, and Canada, which increased their exports by more than 20% compared to 2021. China was the most remarkable performer, with a 43.8% growth rate, reaching a value of 3 billion U.S. dollars. Some of the factors that contributed to the growth of pork exports from these countries were increased domestic production, recovery from African swine fever outbreaks, strong demand from Asian markets, and competitive prices.

Poultry Exports

Poultry is the third most valuable meat export in the world, accounting for about 20% of the total meat exports in 2022. The top poultry exporting countries in 2022 were Brazil, the United States, the European Union, Thailand, and Turkey, which together shipped 71.4% of all poultry exports by volume. Brazil was the largest poultry exporter, with a volume of 4 million metric tons, followed by the United States with 3 million metric tons.

The fastest-growing poultry exporters in 2022 were Turkey, China, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, which increased their exports by more than 10% compared to 2021. Turkey was the most outstanding performer, with a 25% growth rate, reaching a volume of 500 thousand metric tons. Some of the factors that contributed to the growth of poultry exports from these countries were increased production efficiency, diversified product portfolio, improved quality standards, and access to new markets.

Meat exporting countries play a significant role in the global meat industry, supplying various types of meat products to different regions and consumers around the world. The trends and statistics of meat exports reflect the dynamics of supply and demand, as well as the opportunities and challenges faced by the producers and traders in this sector. As the world population and income continue to grow, the demand for meat products is expected to increase as well, creating more opportunities for meat exporting countries to expand their markets and revenues.

References:

http://faostat.fao.org/Portals/_Faostat/documents/pdf/FAOSTAT-Forestry-def-e.pdf

https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FO/visualize

https://www.statista.com/topics/4880/global-meat-industry/
https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/livestock-and-meat-international-trade-data
https://knoema.com/atlas/topics/Agriculture/Trade-Export-Value/Meat-exports
https://www.statista.com/statistics/751000/export-of-poultry-meat-leading-exporter/

https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/29248f46-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/29248f46-en
https://knoema.com/atlas/topics/Agriculture/Trade-Export-Value/Meat-exports
https://www.opportimes.com/the-top-10-meat-importers-and-exporters/
https://beef2live.com/story-world-beef-exports-ranking-countries-0-106903