Year over year, the overall value of exported meat pertinent to sheep and lambs accelerated by 22.8% from $7.12 billion for 2020.
In this article, the term lamb refers to the meat from younger sheep. Specifically, they are classified as being one year old or less.
Drilling down to more detailed product types, the most valuable form of exported sheep and lamb meat were frozen cuts of sheep including bones at 40.4% of the overall total. In second place was exported fresh or chilled cuts of sheep meat including bones (15.8%) slightly ahead of fresh or chilled lamb carcasses and half-carcasses (15.1%) then frozen boneless cuts of sheep meat (10.5%).
Smaller percentages are attributed to fresh or chilled boneless cuts of sheep meat (7.1%), fresh, chilled or frozen goat meat (4.6%), frozen sheep carcasses and half-carcasses (3.5%) excluding lambs, frozen lamb carcasses and half-carcasses (3%), then fresh or chilled sheep carcasses and half-carcasses (2.5%) excluding lambs.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefixes are: 020410 for fresh or chilled lamb carcasses and half-carcasses; 020421 for fresh or chilled sheep carcasses and half-carcasses; 020422 for fresh or chilled cuts of sheep meat with bone; 020423 for fresh or chilled boneless cuts of sheep meat; 020430 for frozen lamb carcasses and half-carcasses; 020441 for frozen sheep carcasses and half-carcasses; 020442 for frozen cuts of sheep with bone; and 020443 for frozen boneless cuts of sheep meat.
Top Sheep and Lamb Meat Exports by Country
Below are the 10 countries that exported the overall highest dollar value worth of sheep and lamb meat during 2021.
- Australia: US$3.2 billion (up 34.9% from 2017)
- New Zealand: $2.89 billion (up 24.8%)
- United Kingdom: $602.7 million (up 21.5%)
- Ireland: $438.4 million (up 30.2%)
- France: $334 million (up 501.6%)
- Spain: $315.2 million (up 90.3%)
- Netherlands: $224.5 million (up 6.8%)
- Uruguay: $123.9 million (up 89.6%)
- Belgium: $103.6 million (down -18.9%)
- Greece: $67.9 million (up 132.5%)
By value, the listed 10 countries shipped 95% of all exported sheep and lamb meat in 2021
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of sheep and lamb meat since 2017 are France (up 501.6%), Greece (up 132.5%), Spain (up 90.3%), Uruguay (up 89.6%), then Australia (up 34.9%).
The lone decliner from 2017 to 2021 was Belgium thanks to its -18.9% reduction.
Top Exporters of Frozen Sheep Meat
The following 10 countries sold the greatest amount of frozen sheep meat on global markets during 2021 by dollar value.
- New Zealand: US$2.3 billion (up 37% from 2017)
- Australia: $2.1 billion (up 41.2%)
- Uruguay: $123.9 million (up 89.9%)
- Netherlands: $118.5 million (up 4.8%)
- Spain: $102.1 million (up 41.6%)
- Ireland: $54.9 million (up 10.7%)
- Germany: $44.1 million (down -23.1%)
- Chile: $37 million (up 21.2%)
- Belgium: $29.1 million (down -54.7%)
- United Kingdom: $25.5 million (down -41.9%)
By value, the listed 10 countries shipped 97.4% of exports of frozen sheep meat in 2021. International sales of frozen sheep meat rose 32.6% since 2017 and accelerated 20.5% from 2020 to 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of frozen sheep meat since 2017 were Uruguay (up 89.9%), Spain (up 41.6%), Australia (up 41.2%), New Zealand (up 37%) then Chile (up 21.2%).
There was a trio of decliners over the 5-year period namely Belgium (down -54.7%), United Kingdom (down -41.9%) and Germany (down -23.1%).
Top Exporters of Fresh Sheep Meat
By dollar value, the following 10 countries sold the greatest amount of fresh or chilled sheep meat to international buyers during 2021.
- Australia: US$1.08 billion (up 24.1% from 2017)
- United Kingdom: $577.2 million (up 27.6%)
- New Zealand: $560 million (down -8.8%)
- Ireland: $383.5 million (up 33.6%)
- France: $322.1 million (up 611.4%)
- Spain: $213.1 million (up 127.7%)
- Netherlands: $106.1 million (up 9.2%)
- Belgium: $74.4 million (up 17.6%)
- Greece: $62.5 million (up 121.6%)
- Pakistan: $28.1 million (up 135.7%)
By value, the listed 10 countries shipped 94% of exports of fresh or chilled sheep meat in 2021. Worldwide revenues from exported fresh or chilled sheep meat gained 27% since 2017 with most of that change arising from a 26.2% advance from 2020 to 2021.
Among the listed countries, the fastest-growing exporters of fresh or chilled sheep meat since 2017 were France (up 611.4%), Pakistan (up 135.2%), Spain (up 127.7%), and Greece (up 121.6%).
New Zealand was the sole decliner over the 5-year period via an -8.8% retreat.
Top Exporters of Lamb Meat
By dollar value, the following 10 countries sold the greatest amount of fresh, chilled or frozen lamb meat on worldwide markets during 2021.
- United Kingdom: US$436 million (up 77.2% from 2017)
- France: $227.8 million (up 2,695%)
- Australia: $199.1 million (down -29.4%)
- Spain: $176.7 million (up 139.8%)
- Ireland: $149.4 million (up 59.4%)
- New Zealand: $84.9 million (up 207.5%)
- Greece: $59.7 million (up 109.5%)
- Netherlands: $58.1 million (down -6.6%)
- Pakistan: $22.7 million (2017 data unavailable)
- Belgium: $18.2 million (up 47.4%)
By value, the listed 10 countries shipped 88.5% of fresh, chilled or frozen lamb meat exported throughout 2021. International sales of exported lamb meat increased by 65.7% since 2017 and advanced by 51.9% from 2020 to 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of fresh, chilled or frozen lamb meat since 2017 were France (up 2,695%), New Zealand (up 207.5%), Spain (up 139.8%), Greece (up 109.5%), then the United Kingdom (up 77.2%).
Netherlands was the sole decliner from these suppliers over the 5-year period, experiencing a -6.6% reduction.
See also Top Beef Exporting Countries, Pork Exports by Country, Chicken Exports by Country and Top Goat Meat Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on August 24, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 24, 2022
Wikipedia, Sheep. Accessed on August 24, 2022
