The United States ranked first among the largest exporters of meat and edible offal in the world during 2019, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

With 17.660 million dollars, the United States surpassed Brazil (15.300 million) and the European Union (14.470 million).

Other notable meat exporters were: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Argentina, India, Mexico and Hong Kong.

World imports of meat and edible offal more than tripled between 1995 and 2019, increasing from $ 20 billion in 1995 to $ 75 billion in 2019. On average, imports increased 5.2% per year.

Its share in total world imports of agricultural products increased from 6.6% in 1995 to 7.0% in 2019, with a maximum of 8.8% in 2000.

Meat exporters

In 1995, the United States ranked first and accounted for 30% of world exports, followed by the European Union (19%) and Australia (13%).

Comparatively, in 2019, the United States continued to top the list, but its share dropped to 21 percent.

Brazil ranked second (18%) and the European Union third (17%).

In 1995, Brazil ranked seventh. The top 10 meat exporters sold 94% of world meat exports abroad both in 1995 and 2019.

Imports

The top three importers of this product in 1995 were Japan (45%), the European Union (13%) and the United States (10%).

In 2019, Japan remained the main importer, despite the decrease in its share (14%). It was followed by the United States in second place (12%) and China in third place (8%). China was not among the top 10 importers in 1995 (it ranked 18th)

Other relevant importers in 2019 were: Hong Kong, South Korea, Mexico, the European Union, Egypt, Russia and Canada.

Products

In 1995, 41% of imports were of bovine meat (SA 02.01 and 02.02), 24% of pig meat (SA 02.03) and 18% of poultry meat (SA 02.07), while the remaining 17% corresponded to other types of meat.

Top 10 meat and edible offal traders in 2019 and 1995

In 2019, beef accounted for 43% of all imports; pork meat, 21%; and poultry meat, 17 percent.

The remaining 19% of imports corresponded to other types of meat. The price of beef multiplied by 2.5 between 1995 and 2019, while the price of chicken multiplied by 1.6.

World imports of meat and edible offal (HS 02), 1995-2019