Meat exports connect livestock production with food markets around the world. The latest USDA Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade figures show 2025 exports of 13.531 million metric tons of beef, 10.333 million tons of pork, and 14.693 million tons of chicken meat. The 2026 figures are forecasts, not completed trade totals. USDA, Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade
Contents
- Global meat export totals
- Beef export leaders
- How beef exports changed
- Pork export leaders
- Pork trade shifts and outlook
- Chicken meat export leaders
- Chicken market shares and forecast
Global meat export totals
The three major meat categories do not move in the same way. Chicken meat had the largest 2025 export total among the categories listed, followed by beef and pork. USDA’s 2026 numbers are forecasts and should be read separately from historical or reported totals.
| Meat category | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef | 12.984 million metric tons | 13.531 million metric tons | 13.808 million metric tons |
| Pork | 10.115 million metric tons | 10.333 million metric tons | 10.413 million metric tons |
| Chicken meat | 13.737 million metric tons | 14.693 million metric tons | 14.789 million metric tons |
Source: USDA, Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, 2024–2026; 2026 is a forecast.
Beef exports are forecast to reach 13.808 million metric tons in 2026, below the 13.926 million tons cited for 2025 in the beef outlook section. Pork exports are forecast at 10.4 million tons in 2026, described by USDA as virtually unchanged from 2025. Chicken meat exports are forecast at 14.789 million tons, compared with 14.693 million tons in 2025.
These figures describe exported meat quantities, not domestic production, retail sales, or per-person consumption. The category labels also matter: India’s beef export figure includes carabeef from water buffalo, according to the USDA.
Beef export leaders
Brazil was the largest country exporter of beef in the USDA’s 2025 table, with 4.000 million metric tons. Australia ranked next at 2.165 million tons. India exported 1.630 million tons, including carabeef from water buffalo. Argentina shipped 810,000 tons, while New Zealand exported 640,000 tons.
Other listed 2025 beef exporters included the European Union at 600,000 metric tons, Canada at 550,000 tons, Uruguay at 520,000 tons, Paraguay at 485,000 tons, and Mexico at 390,000 tons. Each figure refers to 2025 exports and uses the USDA table’s metric-ton measure.
| Exporter | Beef exports in 2025 |
|---|---|
| Brazil | 4.000 million metric tons |
| Australia | 2.165 million metric tons |
| India, including carabeef | 1.630 million metric tons |
| Argentina | 810,000 metric tons |
| New Zealand | 640,000 metric tons |
| European Union | 600,000 metric tons |
| Canada | 550,000 metric tons |
| Uruguay | 520,000 metric tons |
| Paraguay | 485,000 metric tons |
| Mexico | 390,000 metric tons |
Source: USDA, Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, 2025.
The European Union is presented as a regional exporter in this table, while the other entries are countries. That distinction is useful when comparing the listed totals: the EU figure is not a single-country export total.
How beef exports changed
The longer USDA comparison shows a substantial rise in total global beef exports from 11.920 million metric tons in 2022 to 13.926 million tons in 2025. The direction was not uniform among exporters.
Brazilian beef exports increased from 2.898 million metric tons in 2022 to 4.380 million tons in 2025. Australian exports also rose, from 1.238 million tons to 2.208 million tons over the same period. These are the 2022 and 2025 values cited in the USDA beef comparison, and they are distinct from the 4.000 million and 2.165 million 2025 figures in the USDA country table.
Several exporters moved in the opposite direction. European Union beef exports declined from 627,000 metric tons in 2022 to 595,000 tons in 2025. U.S. beef exports fell from 1.608 million tons to 1.169 million tons. Mexican beef exports declined from 398,000 tons to 324,000 tons.
The USDA forecast puts global beef exports at 13.808 million metric tons in 2026, down from the cited 13.926 million tons in 2025. Argentina’s 2026 beef exports are forecast at 800,000 metric tons, which USDA describes as 3 percent above the 2025 level cited in that outlook. Because these are forecasts, they should not be treated as final trade results.
Pork export leaders
The European Union led the USDA’s 2025 pork export list at 2.750 million metric tons. Brazil followed with 1.790 million tons, and Canada exported 1.465 million tons. The remaining listed exporters were considerably smaller by volume: Russia exported 275,000 tons, Chile 255,000 tons, the United Kingdom 190,000 tons, Mexico 190,000 tons, China 120,000 tons, Australia 50,000 tons, and South Africa 20,000 tons.
| Exporter | Pork exports in 2025 |
|---|---|
| European Union | 2.750 million metric tons |
| Brazil | 1.790 million metric tons |
| Canada | 1.465 million metric tons |
| Russia | 275,000 metric tons |
| Chile | 255,000 metric tons |
| United Kingdom | 190,000 metric tons |
| Mexico | 190,000 metric tons |
| China | 120,000 metric tons |
| Australia | 50,000 metric tons |
| South Africa | 20,000 metric tons |
Source: USDA, Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, 2025.
As with the beef figures, the European Union is a regional entry in the USDA table. The 2025 values are export totals, not the share of each region’s production that entered international trade.
Pork trade shifts and outlook
USDA forecasts global pork exports at 10.4 million metric tons in 2026, virtually unchanged from 2025. The outlook differs among major exporters. Brazilian pork exports are forecast at 1.830 million tons, 7 percent above 2025. Canadian exports are forecast at 1.380 million tons, 4 percent above 2025.
The European Union moves in the other direction: its pork exports are forecast at 2.800 million metric tons in 2026, 8 percent below 2025. U.S. pork exports are forecast at 3.266 million tons, 3 percent above 2025. These 2026 values are estimates from the USDA outlook rather than completed totals.
Destination patterns also changed in the USDA comparison. Mexico and Central America accounted for 46 percent of U.S. pork exports in 2025, up from 25 percent in 2020. China’s share of European Union pork exports fell from 54 percent in 2020 to 18 percent in 2025, while selected Asian markets’ share rose from 18 percent to 34 percent.
Brazil’s pork export destinations show a similar shift. China’s share fell from 55 percent in 2020 to 10 percent in 2025. Selected Asian markets’ share rose from 25 percent to 53 percent. The source uses “select Asian markets” as a grouping; the figures do not identify every market in that group.
Chicken meat export leaders
Brazil was the largest country exporter of chicken meat in the USDA’s 2025 table, at 5.250 million metric tons. The European Union exported 1.725 million tons, Thailand 1.275 million tons, and China 1.200 million tons.
Other listed 2025 exporters were Ukraine at 475,000 metric tons, Turkey at 450,000 tons, Russia at 235,000 tons, the United Kingdom at 235,000 tons, Argentina at 135,000 tons, and Canada at 120,000 tons.
| Exporter | Chicken meat exports in 2025 |
|---|---|
| Brazil | 5.250 million metric tons |
| European Union | 1.725 million metric tons |
| Thailand | 1.275 million metric tons |
| China | 1.200 million metric tons |
| Ukraine | 475,000 metric tons |
| Turkey | 450,000 metric tons |
| Russia | 235,000 metric tons |
| United Kingdom | 235,000 metric tons |
| Argentina | 135,000 metric tons |
| Canada | 120,000 metric tons |
Source: USDA, Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, 2025.
Chicken market shares and forecast
Brazil held 35 percent of global chicken meat exports in 2025, according to the USDA. The United States held 21 percent, the European Union 12 percent, Thailand 9 percent, and China 8 percent. Countries outside Brazil, the United States, the European Union, China, and Thailand collectively held 15 percent.
| Export group | Share of global chicken meat exports in 2025 |
|---|---|
| Brazil | 35% |
| United States | 21% |
| European Union | 12% |
| Thailand | 9% |
| China | 8% |
| Other countries | 15% |
Source: USDA, Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, 2025.
The market-share figures describe global chicken meat exports, while the country table reports metric-ton quantities. They are related measures but should not be substituted for one another. The USDA forecasts China’s chicken meat exports at 1.400 million metric tons in 2026, up from 1.200 million tons in 2025.
At the global level, chicken meat exports are forecast at 14.789 million metric tons in 2026, compared with 14.693 million tons in 2025. That forecast sits above the 13.737 million-ton total reported for 2024. Together, the totals and country shares show why export statistics need both a time period and a clearly defined product category.