Browse Data and Analysis

India’s 2025 beef production (mostly carabeef) is forecast to reach 4.64 million metric tons (MMT), up from 4.57 MMT in 2024, on steady domestic and increased export demand.

FAS New Delhi (Post) forecasts India's market year (MY) 2024 (January-December) cattle herd at 307.42 million head, up marginally from 307.4 million head in 2023. A gradual pace of growth is likely to persist in the short- to medium-term.

On December 29, 2023, the Ministry of Trade and Integration announced the first stage of 2024 meat and poultry quotas by HS code for historic suppliers (i.e., importers). The first stage approved the distribution of 2,835 tons of beef and 31,500 tons of poultry.

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.

On April 13, 2023, the Ministry of Trade and Integration announced the second stage of 2023 meat and poultry quotas by HS code for historic suppliers (i.e., importers).

The 2023 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world during the 2023 calendar year.

The 2022 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world during the 2022 calendar year.

The expansion of India’s dairy sector is driving the increase in the cattle (both bovine and Asian domestic water buffalo) herd numbers. In marketing year (MY) 2023 (January-December) herd numbers have grown to 307.5 million head as compared to 306.7 million head in 2022.

On January 17, 2023, the Indian government issued Notification No. 25/2022-23) proposing draft guidelines to streamline the halal certification process for export of meat and meat products from India.

On December 29, 2022, the Ministry of Trade and Integration announced the first stage of 2023 meat and poultry quotas by HS code for historic suppliers (i.e., importers). The first stage approved the distribution of 2,835 tons of beef and 31,500 tons of poultry.

India’s national cattle herd inventory in marketing year (MY) 2023 (January-December) is forecast marginally higher at 307.4 million head. India’s MY 2023 production of carabeef (meat derived from the Asian domestic water buffalo) and beef is forecast at 4.42 million metric tons (MMT), an increase of two percent from the current year’s estimate on continued restrictive policies on slaughter of bovine animals.