The world’s top exporters of frozen beef by total weight are Brazil, India, Australia, Argentina, United States of America, New Zealand, and Argentina. Combined, that half-dozen suppliers of frozen beef sold 4.7 million tons of frozen beef during 2021 or approaching three quarters (72.5%) of global shipments by weight.
However, higher volumes of frozen beef exports do not necessarily correspond with lower average unit for frozen beef even when you factor in economies of scale. For instance, 3 of the biggest exporters of frozen beef (Australia, United States and New Zealand) sold frozen beef on international markets in 2021 at average unit prices higher than the global average price of US$4,852 per ton.
Top Frozen Beef Export Countries by Shipment Weight
The top 50 exporters of frozen beef as measured by tonnage are listed below. Based on that weight metric, these key suppliers of frozen beef on international markets accounted for 98.8% of the world’s frozen beef exported in 2021.
| Frozen Beef Exporter | Tons | 2020-1 | 2017-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | 1,382,514 | -11.3% | +27.9% |
| 2 | India | 1,010,719 | +8.2% | -22.3% |
| 3 | Australia | 742,344 | -10.9% | -5.1% |
| 4 | United States | 630,523 | +23% | +31.7% |
| 5 | New Zealand | 476,508 | +6.2% | +20.7% |
| 6 | Argentina | 472,225 | -10.5% | +241.1% |
| 7 | Uruguay | 370,603 | +33.9% | +39.4% |
| 8 | Paraguay | 174,908 | +11.3% | +13.2% |
| 9 | Trinidad/Tobago | 146,912 | +170.3% | +155.8% |
| 10 | Ireland | 126,746 | +19.9% | +78.4% |
| 11 | Canada | 108,296 | +32.1% | +63.4% |
| 12 | Poland | 106,087 | +2.9% | +11.5% |
| 13 | Belarus | 80,772 | +26.5% | +86.6% |
| 14 | Nicaragua | 69,571 | +6.2% | -0.3% |
| 15 | Netherlands | 65,149 | +36.7% | +37.5% |
| 16 | Spain | 48,664 | +16.6% | +19.9% |
| 17 | Italy | 45,037 | +29.3% | -6.9% |
| 18 | Germany | 41,727 | +14.2% | -7.3% |
| 19 | Colombia | 32,653 | +59.9% | +311.5% |
| 20 | Russia | 30,318 | +104.2% | +1255% |
| 21 | Costa Rica | 27,599 | +6% | +118.7% |
| 22 | Ukraine | 26,511 | +18.2% | -10.3% |
| 23 | France | 24,407 | +55.7% | +33.2% |
| 24 | Austria | 22,944 | -11.3% | -3.6% |
| 25 | Hong Kong | 21,160 | +86% | -19.6% |
| 26 | Chile | 17,361 | -27.1% | +139.6% |
| 27 | South Africa | 17,046 | -14.7% | +23.7% |
| 28 | Bolivia | 16,056 | +15.7% | +5696% |
| 29 | Denmark | 13,901 | +39.2% | +20% |
| 30 | Belgium | 11,312 | +4.3% | -54.9% |
| 31 | Lithuania | 10,569 | +15.3% | +105.8% |
| 32 | Singapore | 7,685 | -6.9% | -36.8% |
| 33 | United Arab Emirates | 6,990 | -86.7% | +62.2% |
| 34 | Panama | 5,722 | -24.6% | +19631% |
| 35 | Japan | 4,388 | +75.3% | +220.3% |
| 36 | Namibia | 3,743 | +0.6% | -42.4% |
| 37 | Vietnam | 3,444 | +1572% | +356.2% |
| 38 | Portugal | 2,204 | +39.3% | +39.7% |
| 39 | Honduras | 2,159 | -21.1% | +20.5% |
| 40 | Serbia | 2,085 | +55.8% | +529.9% |
| 41 | Pakistan | 2,011 | -68.2% | -84.4% |
| 42 | Latvia | 1,623 | +28.1% | +114.4% |
| 43 | Botswana | 1,460 | -71.9% | -90.6% |
| 44 | Guatemala | 1,396 | +11.6% | +27.5% |
| 45 | Turkey | 1,367 | +71.7% | +68250% |
| 46 | Croatia | 1,341 | +43.1% | +55.2% |
| 47 | Kazakhstan | 1,323 | -12.9% | +793.9% |
| 48 | Kenya | 1,162 | +9.3% | -35.4% |
| 49 | Romania | 1,089 | +2.4% | -19.3% |
| 50 | Saudi Arabia | 1,023 | -67.3% | -71.7% |
The fastest-growing major exporters of frozen beef from 2020 to 2021 were Vietnam (up 1,572%), Trinidad and Tobago (up 170.3%), Russia (up 104.2%), Hong Kong (up 86%), Japan (up 75.3%), and Turkey (up 71.7%).
Posting the severest year-over-year declines in tons of exported frozen beef from year to year were the United Arab Emirates (down -86.7%), Botswana (down -71.9%), Pakistan (down -68.2%), Saudi Arabia (down -67.3%), Chile (down -27.1%), and Panama (down -24.6%).
Searchable List of Average Unit Price for Exported Frozen Beef
The world’s average unit price per ton of exported frozen beef was US$4,852 for 2021, up 20.2% from $4,039 in 2017 and up 14.3% from an average $4,244 for 2020.
The automated table below enables you to compare the average unit price for exported frozen beef for 50 of the world’s biggest exporters of frozen beef by weight. Amounts shown are in US dollars.
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns in the data table. The right-most columns highlight the change in unit price for each supplier’s globally exported frozen beef in 2021 compared to 2020 or 5 years earlier in 2017. (A value of 0% in those column means data for that year was unavailable.)
| Frozen Beef Exporter | Avg Price | 2020-1 | 2017-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | $5,042 | +17.6% | +24.3% |
| 2 | India | $2,905 | -1.8% | -4% |
| 3 | Australia | $5,614 | +13.9% | +26.2% |
| 4 | United States | $7,235 | +24.2% | +22.9% |
| 5 | New Zealand | $5,186 | +10.6% | +13.9% |
| 6 | Argentina | $4,205 | +7.8% | -8.9% |
| 7 | Uruguay | $5,393 | +15.7% | +25.1% |
| 8 | Paraguay | $4,402 | +17% | +18.4% |
| 9 | Ireland | $4,668 | +22.7% | +41.5% |
| 10 | Canada | $5,773 | +18.4% | +13.6% |
| 11 | Poland | $4,637 | +21.2% | +26.6% |
| 12 | Belarus | $3,884 | +14.6% | +14.1% |
| 13 | Nicaragua | $5,293 | +20.5% | +21.9% |
| 14 | Netherlands | $6,182 | +17.2% | +13% |
| 15 | Spain | $4,948 | +15.6% | +27.5% |
| 16 | Italy | $4,940 | +17.5% | +21% |
| 17 | Germany | $5,123 | +8.1% | +7.8% |
| 18 | Mexico | $6,414 | +4.8% | +49.8% |
| 19 | Colombia | $3,934 | +23.9% | +19.8% |
| 20 | United Kingdom | $4,623 | +59.8% | +53.8% |
| 21 | Russia | $6,324 | +26.3% | +17.7% |
| 22 | Costa Rica | $4,697 | +23.5% | +22.2% |
| 23 | Ukraine | $4,156 | +18.7% | +43.6% |
| 24 | France | $4,661 | +14.7% | +23.6% |
| 25 | Austria | $5,073 | +10.8% | +18.4% |
| 26 | Hong Kong | $4,250 | -16.5% | +15.2% |
| 27 | Chile | $4,329 | +13.5% | +16% |
| 28 | South Africa | $4,448 | +19.6% | +12.6% |
| 29 | Bolivia | $5,417 | +25.7% | +53.6% |
| 30 | Denmark | $5,028 | +19.9% | +13.9% |
| 31 | Belgium | $4,724 | +20.8% | +50.7% |
| 32 | Lithuania | $4,681 | +8.1% | +28.8% |
| 33 | Singapore | $4,363 | +45.6% | +58.9% |
| 34 | United Arab Emirates | $4,771 | -46.8% | +20.5% |
| 35 | Panama | $4,440 | +16.3% | -43.2% |
| 36 | Japan | $58,536 | +8.6% | -5.7% |
| 37 | Namibia | $4,942 | +81.6% | +57.3% |
| 38 | Vietnam | $4,314 | -6.4% | +7.2% |
| 39 | Portugal | $4,571 | +8.9% | -16.7% |
| 40 | Honduras | $3,582 | -20.9% | +2.3% |
| 41 | Serbia | $3,475 | +13% | -16.9% |
| 42 | Pakistan | $3,432 | +5.8% | -12% |
| 43 | Latvia | $4,208 | +0.6% | +4.1% |
| 44 | Botswana | $6,933 | +155.2% | +119.2% |
| 45 | Guatemala | $5,072 | +6.9% | +14.8% |
| 46 | Turkey | $6,535 | -3.1% | -56.4% |
| 47 | Croatia | $6,250 | +34.1% | +50.3% |
| 48 | Kazakhstan | $4,453 | +10.4% | +14.4% |
| 49 | Kenya | $4,964 | +14% | +45.7% |
| 50 | Jordan | $8,971 | +229.1% | +228.1% |
In 2021, the average unit price specific to the above 50 leading exporters of frozen beef was $6,040 per ton. That metric is well above the world overall average price of $4,852 per ton for all exporting countries.
The lowest average unit price for exported frozen beef per ton among the leading 50 exporters belong to India, Pakistan, Serbia, Honduras, Belarus, and Colombia. Other low-cost frozen beef suppliers to global markets include Ukraine, Argentina, Latvia, and trading hub Hong Kong.
The fastest growers in average unit price from 2020 to 2021 are Jordan (up 229.1%), Botswana (up 155.2%), Namibia (up 81.6%), United Kingdom (up 59.8%), then Singapore (up 45.6%).
Year over year, the greatest reductions in average unit price collected for exported frozen beef by ton were posted by international suppliers in the United Arab Emirates (down -46.8%), Honduras (down -20.9%), Hong Kong (down -16.5%), then Vietnam (down -6.4%).
Average Unit Price for Top 10 Frozen Beef Exporters
The list below is sorted in descending order by the 10 major exporters of frozen beef by weight, showcasing each country’s corresponding average unit price per ton of globally exported frozen beef in US dollars. These key suppliers sold 82.9% of overall frozen beef exports by weight in 2021 and are listed in descending rank, starting with the biggest frozen beef exporters.
- Brazil: US$5,042 per ton (up 17.6% from 2020)
- India: $2,905 (down -1.8%)
- Australia: $5,614 (up 13.9%)
- United States: $7,235 (up 24.2%)
- New Zealand: $5,186 (up 10.6%)
- Argentina: $4,205 (up 7.8%)
- Uruguay: $5,393 (up 15.7%)
- Paraguay: $4,402 (up 17%)
- Ireland: $4,668 (up 22.7%)
- Canada: $5,773 (up 18.4%)
Six among the top 10 frozen beef suppliers by weight (United States, Canada, Australia, Uruguay, New Zealand, and Brazil) charged comparatively higher average unit price exceeding the global average of $4,852 per ton for all frozen beef exporters.
That data finding suggests that economies of scale for the world’s 10 biggest exporters of frozen beef do not necessarily apply. That is because for 6 top supplier countries, their average unit price is higher than the global benchmark price for all frozen beef exporting countries.
Major Frozen Beef Importing Countries by Quantity
Turning our attention to countries that buy frozen beef on international markets, the top 10 frozen beef importers below accounted for well over four-fifths (83.4%) of globally imported frozen beef during 2021.
- Trinidad/Tobago: 4.2 million tons (40.8% of frozen beef imports)
- China: 2.3 million tons (22.2%)
- United States: 448,114 tons (4.4%)
- South Korea: 351,239 tons (3.4%)
- Japan: 320,928 tons (3.1%)
- Hong Kong: 253,286 tons (2.5%)
- Indonesia: 207,157 tons (2%)
- Vietnam: 176,863 tons (1.7%)
- Egypt: 172,966 tons (1.7%)
- Russia: 168,688 tons (1.6%)
Six among the 10 biggest importing countries by imported frozen beef volume are highly populated Asian nations, geographically close to India and Pakistan–two of the lowest-cost frozen beef exporters on that same continent.
See also Top Beef Exporting Countries (dollar value), Fresh or Frozen Beef Imports by Country (dollar value), Average Rice Prices Compared for Major Rice Export Countries, Average Coal Prices Compared for Major Coal Exporters by Country and OPEC Countries Crude Oil Exports Sales Data
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Supplier showroom for beef. Accessed on September 13, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on September 13, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 13, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 13, 2022
Wikipedia, Beef. Accessed on September 13, 2022
