Mapping World sheepmeat production and consumption

Mapping worldwide sheep production

The world sheepmeat market has seen surging prices in recent years as demand from emerging markets in Asia, the Middle East and Africa increases as a greater number of consumers move into the middle-income bracket.

Across the globe sheepmeat consumption is forecast to grow at an average of 1.4% a year up to 2024, with consumption expected to grow by a total of 895,000t by the same year. That said, sheepmeat will continue to be a small-time player in the world meat market, predicted to account for just 5% of global meat supply in the next 10 years.

USA

National flock 5.2m Production volume (000t) 74 Export volume (000t) 5.4 Export as % of production 6% Average export export $US/kg 3.07 Average annual domestic consumption/head 0.4kg

Where are the world’s sheep?

But which nations dominate when it comes to production, exports and pricing?

It will come as no surprise that Australia and New Zealand are among the top global producers.

However, how many people would suspect that it is in fact China which is the global leader both in terms of national flock size and production volume, carrying a 163.5m head sheep flock and producing 5,001,000t a year of sheepmeat?

This dwarfs the next nearest producer, India, which has a national flock of 74.3m head and produces in the region of 743,000t. Australia, meanwhile, carries a national flock of 64m head and produces 650,000t a year, with New Zealand’s 26.2m strong flock delivering 411,000t a year. Back at home in the UK the national flock size is 33.8m, with a production of 287,000t/year.

UK

National Flock 33.8m Production volume (000t) 287 Export volume (000t) 89 Exports as % of production 31 Average export price $US/kg 5.39 Average annual domestic consumption/head 3.4kg

India

National Flock 74.3m Production volume (000t) 743 Export volume (000t) 10 Exports as % of production 1.35 Average export price $US/kg 6.59 Average annual domestic consumption/head 0.5kg

China

National Flock 163.5m Production volume (000t) 5,001 Export volume (000t) 1 Exports as % of production 0.02 Average export price $US/kg 10.90 Average annual domestic consumption/head 3.3kg

Australia

National Flock 64m Production volume (000t) 650 Export volume (000t) 431 Exports as % of production 66.3 Average export price $US/kg 5.89 Average annual domestic consumption/head 6.1kg

New Zealand

National Flock 26.2m Production volume (000t) 411 Export volume (000t) 386.3 Exports as % of production 93.99 Average export price $US/kg 6.52 Average annual domestic consumption/head 3.4kg

Where does it all go?

Export volumes, however, are where things become more interesting, with Australia the global leader, exporting 431,000t a year, more than 66% of its annual production and a 36% share of all global exports. This is closely followed by New Zealand with an export volume of 386,300t a year, just shy of 94% of production and accounting for 30% of worldwide exports. China, by comparison, despite its massive production volume, only exports 1000t a year, with the UK exporting more than 89,000t a year, 31% of annual production. Australia also leads the way in consumption, with the average Australian eating 6.1kg of lamb every year, compared to 3.9kg/head in the UK, 3.4kg/head in New Zealand and 3.3kg per person in China. Of the major producers China is the largest importer of lamb, having a production shortfall of more than 400,000t/year, while the EU27 have a shortfall of 56,000t a year and the UK falls some 16,000t short of meeting domestic demand.

*All data relates to 2019 production. Source: Meat and Livestock Australia

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