The 40 Countries That Produce the Most Beef

Beef is delicious in every form, from hamburgers to steak to meatloaf, and is a beloved protein around the world. But how much beef is consumed worldwide each year? It’s estimated that around 130 billion pounds of beef were consumed in 2020! What country eats the most beef? The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development reports that the biggest beef-eating country is the United States, which consumed around 12.9 thousand metric tons in 2021. That equates to around 57 pounds of beef per capita! However, Argentina has America beat as the country that eats the most beef per capita — Argentines devour around 79 pounds of beef per person! So where is all that beef coming from? Here’s a look at some global beef production statistics from Matt Morgan’s Meatloaf Recipes that shows the biggest beef-producing countries worldwide:

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The 40 Countries That Produce the Most Beef

What Country Produces the Most Beef in the World?

The largest producer of beef in the world is the United States, which produces 12,379,000 metric tons of beef each year, accounting for 20.44% of world beef production. Despite the colossal output of United States beef production, it is still one of the biggest importers of beef, second only to China. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. imports of beef have represented around 11 percent of U.S. beef production, and exports of beef are around 9 percent of production. So how do other countries stack up against annual beef production in America? Here are the top 25 countries that produce the most beef, measured in metric tons:

  1. United States: 12,379,000
  2. Brazil: 10,100,000
  3. European Union: 7,810,000
  4. China: 6,720,000
  5. India: 3,760,000
  6. Argentina: 3,230,000
  7. Australia: 2,123,000
  8. Mexico: 2,079,000
  9. Pakistan: 1,820,000
  10. Russia: 1,378,000
  11. Canada: 1,310,000
  12. South Africa: 950,000
  13. Colombia: 744,000
  14. New Zealand: 727,000
  15. Paraguay: 550,000
  16. Kazakhstan: 521,000
  17. Uruguay: 520,000
  18. Japan: 479,000
  19. Egypt: 367,000
  20. Iran: 350,000
  21. Ukraine: 350,000
  22. South Korea: 287,000
  23. Belarus: 280,000
  24. Vietnam: 234,000
  25. Chile: 223,000
  26. Nicaragua: 185,000

What Is the Most Consumed Meat in the World?

While beef is the favorite here at Meatloaf.pro, you may be wondering what meat is eaten the most globally. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, pork is the most consumed meat in the world (36%), followed by poultry (33%), beef (24)%, and goats and sheep (5%). So to meet this demand, what country produces the most meat overall? The biggest meat producer in the world is China, which produces nearly 90 million tons of meat per year. The United States ranks second in meat production by country at around 47 million tons.

The 40 Countries That Produce the Most Beef

Country Metric Tons of Beef % of World Production
1.     United States 12,379,000 20.44%
2.     Brazil 10,100,000 16.67%
3.     European Union 7,810,000 12.89%
4.     China 6,720,000 11.09%
5.     India 3,760,000 6.21%
6.     Argentina 3,230,000 5.33%
7.     Australia 2,123,000 3.50%
8.     Mexico 2,079,000 3.43%
9.     Pakistan 1,820,000 3%
10.  Russia 1,378,000 2.27%
11.  Canada 1,310,000 2.16%
12.  South Africa 950,000 1.57%
13.  Colombia 744,000 1.23%
14.  New Zealand 727,000 1.20%
15.  Paraguay 550,000 0.91%
16.  Kazakhstan 521,000 0.86%
17.  Uruguay 520,000 0.86%
18.  Japan 479,000 0.79%
19.  Egypt 367,000 0.61%
20.  Iran 350,000 0.58%
21.  Ukraine 350,000 0.58%
22.  South Korea 287,000 0.47%
23.  Belarus 280,000 0.46%
24.  Vietnam 234,000 0.39%
25.  Chile 223,000 0.37%
26.  Nicaragua 185,000 0.31%
27.  Philippines 180,000 0.30%
28.  Algeria 150,000 0.25%
29.  Switzerland 145,000 0.24%
30.  Angola 95,000 0.16%
31.  Costa Rica 90,000 0.15%
32.  Israel 81,000 0.13%
33.  Guatemala 70,000 0.12%
34.  Dominican Republic 66,000 0.11%
35.  Honduras 60,000 0.10%
36.  Saudi Arabia 42,000 0.07%
37.  Jordan 25,000 0.04%
38.  Malaysia 25,000 0.04%
39.  United Arab Emirates 18,000 0.03%
40.  El Salvador 17,000 0.03%

 

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This page was last updated by Matt Morgan