Archive · 21 Aug 2026
India’s Buffalo Meat Exports Boom as Dairy Link Strengthens
India is selling more buffalo meat to countries around the world.
Exports reached $5.1 billion in 2025-26 and may pass $6 billion this fiscal year.
The meat is sold in Southeast Asia, West Asia, Africa and newer markets such as Uzbekistan, Russia and Georgia.
Buyers are paying more per tonne than they did a few years ago.
This is partly because exporters are following quality and hygiene rules.
Only approved slaughterhouses and processing plants can handle these exports.
Farmers can sell buffaloes that give little or no milk instead of keeping them on the farm.
This lets farmers make room for animals that produce more milk.
India’s buffalo meat exports reached a record $5.1 billion in 2025-26 and are projected to exceed $6 billion in the current fiscal year.
The industry has developed markets across Southeast Asia, West Asia and Africa, and more recently in Uzbekistan, Russia and Georgia.
Export unit-value realisations have risen from below $3,000 to more than $4,000 per tonne over the past two to three years.
International quality and hygiene standards, along with government-approved abattoirs and processing plants, have supported the product’s higher profile.
The industry helps dairy farmers replace low-yielding, ageing or male buffaloes with fresher, higher-milking animals.
- Who
- India’s buffalo meat industry and dairy farmers.
- What
- Buffalo meat exports have reached record levels while supporting the replacement of low-productivity buffaloes in dairy herds.
- When
- Exports reached $5.1 billion in 2025-26 and are expected to exceed $6 billion in the current fiscal year; unit values rose over the past two to three years.
- Where
- Exports serve markets in Southeast Asia, West Asia, Africa, Uzbekistan, Russia and Georgia.
- Why
- Demand has expanded, product quality and hygiene standards have improved, and the industry creates a market for buffaloes that are no longer productive milkers.
- Exports in 2025-26
- $5.1 billion, a record level
- Current fiscal-year outlook
- Exports are expected to cross $6 billion
- Unit-value change
- From below $3,000 to above $4,000 per tonne over two to three years
- Export facilities
- Government-approved abattoirs and processing plants
- Quality requirements
- Adherence to internationally recognised quality and hygiene standards
- Main animal source
- Mostly culled buffaloes that produce too little milk or are male
- Dairy-sector effect
- Farmers can replace low-yielding or ageing animals with higher-milking or fresh stock