2 weeks ago
India’s Buffalo Meat Exports Surge, Reaching Five Billion Dollars
India sells buffalo meat to many countries around the world.
The value of these exports reached $5.1 billion in the 2025-26 financial year.
The average price earned for each tonne also increased.
Officials connect this improvement to stricter safety, hygiene and infrastructure requirements at approved processing plants.
India is also trying to sell more meat in smaller retail packs instead of only large frozen blocks.
More countries are now buying significant amounts from India than in 2014-15.
The industry says this helps dairy farmers sell buffaloes that no longer produce enough milk.
Some exporters are asking for clearer and more predictable government policies because several plants in Uttar Pradesh were shut down.
India’s buffalo meat exports rose 25.6% to $5.1 billion in 2025-26, according to the article.
Exports increased 66.6% from $896.8 million in April-June 2025 to nearly $1.5 billion in April-June 2026.
Average export value climbed to $4,392 per tonne in April-June 2026, up from $3,591 in 2025-26.
Export destinations have diversified, with 10 countries importing more than $100 million each in 2025-26.
The industry says buffalo meat exports support dairy farmers by creating a market for older, infertile or low-yielding animals.
- Who
- Indian buffalo meat exporters, government agencies and dairy farmers are involved.
- What
- India’s buffalo meat exports have grown in value, volume prospects, market reach and average price per tonne.
- Where
- India exports buffalo meat to markets including Vietnam, Egypt, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.
- When
- Exports reached $5.1 billion in 2025-26; April-June 2026 exports were nearly $1.5 billion.
- Why
- Growth is attributed to improved product standards, market diversification and efforts to promote buffalo meat as a branded product; the industry also supports dairy herd replacement.
Export Growth and Dairy Benefits
Policy Predictability and Operational Concerns
Role of government standards
Export Growth and Dairy Benefits
Commerce officials and exporters say APEDA registration, stringent safety and hygiene rules, and inspections have improved product acceptance and unit values.
Policy Predictability and Operational Concerns
Exporters support rules against illegal slaughter and cattle culling but say lower-level officials sometimes apply policies inconsistently.
Industry expansion
Export Growth and Dairy Benefits
Officials and industry representatives say diversification, retail packaging and the Meat Export Development Fund can open markets and raise returns.
Policy Predictability and Operational Concerns
Exporters are seeking stable, predictable policies, citing the shutdown of five Uttar Pradesh plants that they say had met APEDA compliance requirements.
Effect on dairy farming
Export Growth and Dairy Benefits
The industry argues that selling older, infertile or low-yielding buffaloes helps farmers finance replacement with productive animals and supports dairy expansion.
Policy Predictability and Operational Concerns
The article does not present a specific opposing assessment of this claimed dairy-sector benefit.
Key facts
- 2025-26 export value
- $5.1 billion, up 25.6% according to the article
- April-June comparison
- Exports rose from $896.8 million in April-June 2025 to nearly $1.5 billion in April-June 2026
- Unit value
- Average realisation reached $4,392 per tonne in April-June 2026
- Approved facilities
- India has 83 APEDA-approved integrated abattoirs-cum-meat processing plants, plus five standalone slaughterhouses and 10 meat processing plants
- Leading destinations
- Vietnam, Egypt, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Iraq, the Philippines and Jordan each imported over $100 million in 2025-26
- Global position
- India is described as the world’s third-largest bovine meat exporter, behind Brazil and Australia by projected 2026 volume
- Export levy
- APEDA imposes a Rs 250-per-tonne levy on frozen and chilled buffalo meat exports to fund market-promotion activities
Quotes
Commerce Ministry official
An unnamed official from India’s Commerce Ministry
“The higher unit value realisations indicate improved product acceptability of Indian buffalo meat. This has been enabled by government policy, allowing exports only from plants registered by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) that is conditional upon their meeting stringent safety, hygiene and infrastructure requirements. We also ensure ongoing compliance through periodic and surprise inspections.”
indianexpress.com
“We crossed $5 billion for the first time last fiscal and are on track to do $6 billion-plus in 2026-27.”
indianexpress.com
Fauzan Alavi
Secretary of the All-India Buffalo and Sheep Meat Exporters Association
“In the last couple of years, we have consciously worked at making Indian buffalo meat a global brand and not a number two alternative to cattle beef. The world too is recognising our product quality and safety standards.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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