Commodity Origins

Where does the world's meat and milk come from?

Livestock, meat & dairy covers beef, cheese, chicken, eggs, honey, lamb, milk, pork. What moves them together: Feed grain costs, animal disease outbreaks, herd cycles, trade access and sanitary rules, consumer demand in China.

Commodities in this category

Livestock, meat & dairy commodities with top producers and latest prices
CommodityTop producersLatest price12 months
Beef
Meat from cattle, sold chilled or frozen, as carcasses, primal cuts or boxed trimmings.
Beef: world production by countryShare of world beef production: United States 18%, Brazil 15%, China 10%, Rest of world 58%.United States: 18%Brazil: 15%China: 10%Rest of world: 58%Share of world beef production: United States 18%, Brazil 15%, China 10%, Rest of world 58%.
United States 18%, Brazil 15%, China 10% (2024)		$7.28/kg
Australia/New Zealand, CIF US ports		+6%
Cheese
Milk concentrated by coagulation and ageing, the form in which most traded dairy protein and fat moves.
Cheese: world production by countryShare of world cheese production: United States 28%, Germany 10%, France 7.5%, Rest of world 54%.United States: 28%Germany: 10%France: 7.5%Rest of world: 54%Share of world cheese production: United States 28%, Germany 10%, France 7.5%, Rest of world 54%.
United States 28%, Germany 10%, France 8% (2023)		——
Chicken
Meat from broiler chickens, the world's fastest-growing source of animal protein.
Chicken: world production by countryShare of world chicken production: United States 16%, China 12%, Brazil 11%, Rest of world 62%.United States: 16%China: 12%Brazil: 11%Rest of world: 62%Share of world chicken production: United States 16%, China 12%, Brazil 11%, Rest of world 62%.
United States 16%, China 12%, Brazil 11% (2024)		$1.69/kg
US Gulf ports, broiler cuts		+1%
Eggs
Hen eggs in shell, produced close to where they are eaten because they are fragile and perishable.
Eggs: world production by countryShare of world eggs production: China 35%, India 9.1%, Indonesia 7.4%, Rest of world 49%.China: 35%India: 9.1%Indonesia: 7.4%Rest of world: 49%Share of world eggs production: China 35%, India 9.1%, Indonesia 7.4%, Rest of world 49%.
China 35%, India 9%, Indonesia 7% (2024)		——
Honey
Nectar concentrated by honeybees, sold by floral source and increasingly tested for adulteration.
Honey: world production by countryShare of world honey production: China 24%, India 7.9%, Turkey 5.2%, Rest of world 63%.China: 24%India: 7.9%Turkey: 5.2%Rest of world: 63%Share of world honey production: China 24%, India 7.9%, Turkey 5.2%, Rest of world 63%.
China 24%, India 8%, Turkey 5% (2024)		——
Lamb
Meat from sheep, sold as lamb (under a year old) or mutton, and traded mostly frozen.
Lamb: world production by countryShare of world lamb production: China 23%, India 11%, Australia 8%, Rest of world 58%.China: 23%India: 11%Australia: 8%Rest of world: 58%Share of world lamb production: China 23%, India 11%, Australia 8%, Rest of world 58%.
China 23%, India 11%, Australia 8% (2024)		$7.43/kg
New Zealand, frozen carcass, wholesale London		+19%
Milk
Raw cow's milk, most of it drunk or processed close to where it is produced; only powders, butter and cheese travel far.
Milk: world production by countryShare of world milk production: India 17%, United States 13%, China 5.2%, Rest of world 65%.India: 17%United States: 13%China: 5.2%Rest of world: 65%Share of world milk production: India 17%, United States 13%, China 5.2%, Rest of world 65%.
India 17%, United States 13%, China 5% (2024)		$19.66/cwt
Milk, USDA Class III spot, United States		-7%
Pork
Meat from pigs, the most eaten meat in China and the European Union and the most sensitive to disease outbreaks.
Pork: world production by countryShare of world pork production: China 46%, United States 10%, Brazil 4.3%, Rest of world 40%.China: 46%United States: 10%Brazil: 4.3%Rest of world: 40%Share of world pork production: China 46%, United States 10%, Brazil 4.3%, Rest of world 40%.
China 46%, United States 10%, Brazil 4% (2024)		——

Price index since 1960

Livestock, meat & dairy monthly prices, index 2010=100, Jan 1960 to Aug 2026Line chart of livestock, meat & dairy monthly prices in index 2010=100 from Jan 1960 to Aug 2026: Other food index from 16.4 to 118.8, peaking at 136.5.05010015019601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025index 2010=100
Other food index

Source: World Bank Commodity Price Data (The Pink Sheet), monthly indices, 2010 = 100, published 2026-09-02. CC BY 4.0.

Indices are monthly averages and lag the market; informational only, not investment advice.

Data updated 17 September 2026.