India: Livestock and Products Annual

In marketing year (MY) 2022 (January-December), FAS New Delhi (Post) forecasts India’s national cattle herd to reach 306.7 million animals, increasing by 1.2 million head from the 2021 tally. Herd numbers are seen increasing by less than one percent from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) official 2021 estimate figure of 305.5 million head. India’s 2022 production of carabeef (meat derived from Indian water buffalo) and beef is forecast at 4.25 million metric tons (MMT), up by 250,000 metric tons (MT), an increase of over six percent from the USDA official 2021 estimate of 4 MMT. Despite the lashing that the Indian economy took during the COVID-19 second wave (March-May 2021), the country’s livestock meat industry still fared well. India’s 2022 carabeef/beef exports are forecast at 1.5 MMT, up nine percent from the USDA official 2021 estimate of 1.3 million metric tons. Note: carabeef and beef production and trade are reported in carcass weight equivalent (CWE).