Overall beef exports were worth an estimated US$51.7 billion in 2019. That dollar amount represents a 17.6% increase for global beef shippers over the five-year period starting in 2015. Year over year, the value of international beef sales accelerated by 3.9% from 2018 to 2019.



Among continents, European countries accounted for the highest dollar worth of beef exported during 2019 with shipments valuated at $13.9 billion or over one-quarter (26.9%) of the global total. In second place was Latin America (25.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, ahead of worldwide beef shipments originating from North America (20.3%). Trailing those continental sources were beef exporters from Oceania (19.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand. Smaller percentages track back to exporters in Asia (7.4%) and Africa (0.5%).



For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefixes are 0201 for fresh or chilled beef and 0202 for frozen beef.



In 2019, the value of exported fresh or chilled beef amounted to $24.1 billion, eclipsed by the $27.6 billion for frozen beef. The latter subcategory accounts for 53.4% of overall globally exported beef compared to 46.6% for fresh or chilled beef.



And while the value of fresh or chilled beef exports increased by 13.2% from 2015 to 2019, the comparable metric for frozen beef shipments accelerated by 21.7% over the 5-year period.

Total Beef

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of beef regardless of whether fresh, chilled or frozen during 2019. Australia: US$7.6 billion (14.8% of total beef exports) United States of America: $6.9 billion (13.4%) Brazil: $6.5 billion (12.6%) Netherlands: $3.2 billion (6.1%) India: $3.1 billion (6%) Argentina: $3.1 billion (6%) New Zealand: $2.4 billion (4.6%) Canada: $2.18 billion (4.2%) Ireland: $2.15 billion (4.2%) Uruguay: $1.8 billion (3.6%) Poland: $1.6 billion (3%) Mexico: $1.4 billion (2.7%) Germany: $1.3 billion (2.6%) France: $1.03 billion (2%) Paraguay: $1.02 billion (2%) The listed 15 countries shipped 87.7% of all beef exported in 2019.



Among the above countries, the fastest-growing beef exporters since 2015 were: Argentina (up 259.6%), Canada (up 42.5%), Brazil (up 39.2%) and the United States (up 33.7%).



Three countries posted declines in their exported beef sales namely India (down -23.8%), Paraguay (down -8.8%) and Germany (down -8.7%).

Fresh/Chilled

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh or chilled beef during 2019. United States: US$3.5 billion (14.6% of exported fresh or chilled beef) Netherlands: $2.8 billion (11.7%) Australia: $2.7 billion (11.2%) Ireland: $1.8 billion (7.5%) Canada: $1.77 billion (7.3%) Mexico: $1.22 billion (5%) Poland: $1.15 billion (4.8%) Germany: $1.13 billion (4.7%) France: $971.5 million (4%) Brazil: $880.8 million (3.7%) Argentina: $771.9 million (3.2%) Spain: $685.1 million (2.8%) Belgium: $635.3 million (2.6%) United Kingdom: $481.3 million (2%) Paraguay: $467.7 million (1.9%) The listed 15 countries shipped 87.2% of all fresh or chilled beef exported in 2019.



Among the above countries, the fastest-growing fresh or chilled beef exporters since 2015 were: Argentina (up 52.3%), Canada (up 51.3%), United States (up 32.6%) and Spain (up 29.5%).



Two countries posted declines in their exported fresh or chilled beef sales namely Germany (down -13.2%) and Belgium (down -8.5%).

Frozen

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of frozen beef during 2019. Brazil: US$5.6 billion (20.3% of total exported frozen beef) Australia: $4.9 billion (17.9%) United States: $3.4 billion (12.3%) India: $3.1 billion (11.2%) Argentina: $2.3 billion (8.5%) New Zealand: $2.1 billion (7.5%) Uruguay: $1.5 billion (5.5%) Paraguay: $555.5 million (2%) Canada: $413.5 million (1.5%) Poland: $409.8 million (1.5) Ireland: $343.1 million (1.2%) Netherlands: $335.6 million (1.2%) Nicaragua: $300.2 million (1.1%) Hong Kong: $276.2 million (1%) Germany: $219.9 million (0.8%) The listed 15 countries shipped 93.5% of all frozen beef exported in 2019.



Among the above countries, the fastest-growing frozen beef exporters since 2015 were: Argentina (up 553.9%), Ireland (up 78.1%), Netherlands (up 56.4%) and Poland (up 41.8%).



Three countries posted declines in their exported frozen beef sales were namely India (down -23.6%), Paraguay (down -15.7%) and Hong Kong (down -4.3%).

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