That dollar metric results from an average 39.7% increase for worldwide beef shippers over the five-year period starting in 2020 back when overall beef exports were worth $50.2 billion.
Year over year, the value of international beef sales rose by 10% compared to $63.7 billion exported during 2023.
From a continental perspective, suppliers in Latin American countries excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean overtook Europe to earn the highest dollar amount for exporting all types of beef during 2024. Beef shipments from Latin American countries excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean were worth $19.5 billion or 27.9% of the world total.
Close behind in second place at 26.9% were suppliers in Europe, ahead of worldwide beef shipments originating from North America at another 20.4%.
Trailing the above continental sources were beef exporters from Oceania (17.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Smaller percentages trace back to exporters in Asia (6.8%) and Africa (0.5%).
Exports by Type of Beef
Fresh or chilled beef exports were worth $33.5 billion in 2024 or 47.7% of global beef exports. That percentage lags the 48% share one year earlier in 2023.
Frozen beef shipments were valued at $36.6 billion for 2024 or 52.3% of the world total. The percentage for frozen beef exceeds the 52% share for frozen beef in 2023.
The annual increase for fresh or chilled exported beef was a 9.3% expansion from 2023 to 2024, trailing the 10.7% year-over-year advance for frozen exported beef.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefixes are 0201 for fresh or chilled beef and 0202 for frozen beef.
Top Beef Exporting Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of beef during 2024, combining all fresh, chilled and frozen versions.
- Brazil: US$9.3 billion (13.2% of total beef exports)
- Australia: $8 billion (11.4%)
- United States: $7.2 billion (10.2%)
- India: $3.2 billion (4.5%)
- New Zealand: $3.1 billion (4.5%)
- Argentina: $3 billion (4.3%)
- Uruguay: $2.85 billion (4.1%)
- Paraguay: $2.76 billion (3.9%)
- Ireland: $2.5 billion (3.6%)
- Poland: $2.2 billion (3.1%)
- Canada: $2.1 billion (2.9%)
- Netherlands: $1.9 billion (2.7%)
- Nicaragua: $1.6 billion (2.2%)
- Germany: $1.4 billion (2%)
- Spain: $1.2 billion (1.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 74.3% of all beef exports in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing beef exporters from 2023 to 2024 were: Nicaragua (up 301.5%), Paraguay (up 86.1%), Uruguay (up 55.6%) and New Zealand (up 10.5%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported beef sales were led by: United States of America (down -87.9%), Netherlands (down 106.4%), Canada (down -43.1%) and Germany (down 25.6%).
Top 15 Exporters of Fresh or Chilled Beef
The top exporters for fresh or chilled beef are the United States of America, Australia and the Netherlands supplying just over a third (34%) of globally exported fresh or chilled beef.
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh or chilled beef during 2024.
- United States of America: US$4.5 billion (13.3% of exported fresh or chilled beef)
- Australia: $3.6 billion (10.7%)
- Netherlands: $3.4 billion (10%)
- Canada: $2.7 billion (8.1%)
- Ireland: $2.3 billion (6.8%)
- Poland: $2.1 billion (6.3%)
- Mexico: $1.8 billion (5.4%)
- Brazil: $1.6 billion (4.7%)
- Germany: $1.43 billion (4.3%)
- France: $1.23 billion (3.7%)
- Spain: $1.19 billion (3.6%)
- Argentina: $920 million (2.7%)
- Belgium: $811.8 million (2.4%)
- Italy: $780.5 million (2.3%)
- Paraguay: $767 million (2.3%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 86.6% of all fresh or chilled beef exports in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing fresh or chilled beef exporters from 2023 to 2024 were: Brazil (up 63.1%), Italy (up 54.5%), Australia (up 17.5%) and Argentina (up 17.2%).
A pair of leading suppliers posted declines in their exported fresh or chilled beef sales, namely Canada (down -6.9% from 2023) and Paraguay (down -3.6%).
Top 15 Exporters of Frozen Beef
The world’s biggest exporters of frozen beef are Brazil, Australia and the United States of America. Collectively, that trio generated 53.8% of exported frozen beef sales.
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of frozen beef during 2024.
- Brazil: US$10.1 billion (27.5% of total exported frozen beef)
- Australia: $6 billion (16.4%)
- United States: $4.7 billion (12.8%)
- India: $3.6 billion (9.7%)
- New Zealand: $2.3 billion (6.2%)
- Argentina: $2 billion (5.6%)
- Uruguay: $1.5 billion (4.2%)
- Paraguay: $952.1 million (2.6%)
- Ireland: $675.3 million (1.8%)
- Poland: $580 million (1.6%)
- Canada: $445.5 million (1.2%)
- Netherlands: $412.1 million (1.1%)
- Nicaragua: $311.8 million (0.9%)
- Germany: $274.6 million (0.7%)
- Spain: $224.4 million (0.6%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 92.9% of all frozen beef exports in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing frozen beef exporters from 2023 to 2024 were: Paraguay (up 29.7%), Australia (up 20.2%), Brazil (up 18.2%), Canada (up 17.1%) and the United States of America (up 11.7%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported frozen beef sales were: Germany (down -17% from 2023), Spain (down -10.2%), New Zealand (down -5%) and Uruguay (down -4.5%).
Major Beef Exporting Companies
According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers actively participate in the international trade of fresh, chilled and frozen beef. Shown within parenthesis is the home-country location for each business:
- Agro Expedition International (Netherlands)
- Cargill (United States)
- Carmelita Export-Import Limited (Ireland)
- Imam Halal Meats New Zealand Ltd (New Zealand)
- Prime Foods International Inc (Canada)
- Ricardo Schneider SS Trade Importacao Exportacao (Brazil)
- Rodriguez Gonzalez Medardo (Uruguay)
- SIBA International (India)
- Tropicana Food And Beverages Gmbh (Germany)
- Yass Valley Beef (Australia)
Related Read: Average Frozen Beef Prices Compared by Top Exporters
See also Fresh or Frozen Beef Imports by Country, Chicken Exports by Country, Pork Exports by Country, Top Sheep and Lamb Meat Exports and Top Goat Meat Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Supplier showroom for beef. Accessed on May 21, 2025
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 21, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 21, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 21, 2025
Wikipedia, Beef. Accessed on May 21, 2025