India: Livestock and Products Annual
Link to report:
FAS New Delhi (Post) in market year 2024 (January-December) forecasts India’s national cattle herd growing to 307.6 million head, up by some 135 thousand head from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) official 2023 estimate of 307.5 million head. Post attributes the slight increase in cattle herd numbers to the calf crop growing in 2024 to 70.4 million head, up by 300 thousand head compared to the USDA official 2023 estimate of 70.1 million head. Post forecast India’s 2024 meat production (i.e., carabeef, derived from Asian domestic water buffaloes) at 4.55 million metric tons (MMT) on a carcass-weight-equivalent (CWE) basis, up over two percent compared to the USDA official 2023 production estimate figure of 4.44 MT. All data reported herein is in CWE. The marginal increase from the USDA official figure is due to a foreseen uptick in 2024 slaughter numbers. FAS New Delhi forecasts India’s 2024 carabeef exports at 1.50 MMT, up two percent compared to the USDA official 2023 estimate of 1.47 MMT.
