Globally, goat meat exported from all countries totaled US$413.3 million in 2021. That dollar amount reflects a flatlining -0.8% decline since 2017 when exported goat meat was worth $416.4 million.

Year over year, the value of goat meat exports accelerated by 35.9% compared to $304.2 billion during 2020.

The 3 biggest exporters of goat meat are Australia, Ethiopia and Kenya. Combined, that trio of leading suppliers accounted for over three-quarters (78.4%) of globally exported goat meat in 2021. Such a high percentage indicates an intensely concentrated cohort of goat meat exporters.

From a continent perspective, countries in Oceania sold about half (49.7%) of exported goat meat during 2021 with total shipments valued at $205.3 million led by Australia and New Zealand. In second place were exporters in Africa at 33% while another 13.7% of worldwide shipments of goat meat originated from Europe.

Smaller percentages came from Asia (3.4%), North America (0.13%), then Latin America (0.08%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 020450 for fresh, chilled or frozen goat meat.

Top Goat Meat Exports by Country

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of goat meat during 2021.

1. Australia: US$191.6 million (46.4% of total goat meat exports)
2. Ethiopia: $86.4 million (20.9%)
3. Kenya: $46.1 million (11.2%)
4. France: $19 million (4.6%)
5. Spain: $17.9 million (4.3%)
6. New Zealand: $13.7 million (3.3%)
7. Greece: $9.2 million (2.2%)
8. China: $7.4 million (1.8%)
9. Netherlands: $5.4 million (1.3%)
10. Tanzania: $3.5 million (0.8%)
11. Pakistan: $3 million (0.7%)
12. Mongolia: $2.7 million (0.7%)
13. United Kingdom: $1.3 million (0.3%)
14. Italy: $753,000 (0.2%)
15. Belgium: $596,000 (0.1%)

The listed 15 countries shipped 98.9% of global goat meat exports in 2021 by value.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing goat meat exporters since 2020 were: Tanzania (up 518.5%), United Kingdom (up 380.6%), Belgium (up 282.1%) and Australia (up 86.3%).

Four major suppliers posted declines in their exported goat meat sales namely Pakistan (down -49.7%), Italy (down -49.1%), mainland China (down -34.3%), and Kenya (down -3.7%).

Countries Generating Best Trade Surpluses from Goat Meat

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for goat meat during 2021. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported goat meat and its import purchases for that same commodity.

1. Australia: US$191.4 million (net export surplus up 86.1% since 2020)
2. Ethiopia: $86.4 million (up 39.7%)
3. Kenya: $46.1 million (down -3.7%)
4. Spain: $15 million (up 48.9%)
5. New Zealand: $13.6 million (up 40.4%)
6. France: $9.9 million (up 2%)
7. Greece: $9.2 million (up 37.2%)
8. China: $5.8 million (down -40.6%)
9. Netherlands: $5.2 million (up 25%)
10. Tanzania: $3.5 million (up 518.5%)
11. Pakistan: $3 million (down -49.7%)
12. Mongolia: $2.7 million (up 3.5%)
13. Romania: $320,000 (down -52.5%)
14. Sudan: $275,000 (down -93.8%)
15. Argentina: $210,000 (2020 data unavailable)

Australia generated the highest surplus in the international trade of goat meat. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Australia’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.

Countries Generating Worst Trade Deficits from Goat Meat

The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for goat meat during 2021. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported goat meat purchases and its exports for that same commodity.

1. United States: -US$140 million (net export deficit up 80% since 2020)
2. United Arab Emirates: -$85.9 million (down -3.9%)
3. South Korea: -$18 million (up 86.4%)
4. Saudi Arabia: -$16.9 million (up 158.8%)
5. Taiwan: -$15.4 million (up 25.4%)
6. Canada: -$12.4 million (up 47.8%)
7. Portugal: -$11.5 million (down -20%)
8. Hong Kong: -$9 million (up 16%)
9. Italy: -$8.6 million (up 51.7%)
10. Qatar: -$6.6 million (up 92.2%)
11. Trinidad/Tobago: -$4.6 million (down -15.2%)
12. Oman: -$4.4 million (up 7.4%)
13. Japan: -$4 million (up 11.1%)
14. Bahrain: -$3 million (up 273.2%)
15. United Kingdom: -$2.5 million (down -18.9%)

The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of goat meat. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for goat meat-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.

Goat Meat Exporting Companies

According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers are examples of fresh or frozen goat meat-trading exporters. The home-country location for each business is shown within parentheses.

• Agak Company Ltd (Kenya)
• Al-Muqeet International (Pakistan)
• Carnicas J Colomer Sau (Spain)
• Eiffel International Trade (France)
• Ethiopian General Import/Export (Ethiopia)
• I. Braditsas “Trofino” S.A (Greece)
• Parsa Enterprises Pty Ltd (Australia)
• Qingdao UnionGold Trade Co (China)

 

See also Top Beef Exporting Countries, Pork Exports by Country, Chicken Exports by Country and Top Sheep and Lamb Meat Exports

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Supplier showroom for goat meat. Accessed on September 10, 2022

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on September 10, 2022

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 10, 2022

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 10, 2022

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 10, 2022