How much lamb does New Zealand produce and export?
New Zealand is the 5th largest producer of lamb: 449,606 tonnes in 2024, 3.9% of the world's 11.5 million tonnes (FAOSTAT). It is the 2nd largest exporter by value: $2.2 billion in 2024, 25% of world exports of sheep and goat meat (HS 0204) (CEPII BACI). Its biggest customer is China, which takes 26% of its lamb exports by value.
All about lamb · All about New Zealand · Lamb price history
New Zealand's lamb production
| World rank | Production (tonnes) | Share of world | Ten-year growth | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 449,606 tonnes | 3.9% | -0.8% a year | 2024 |
FAOSTAT Crops and livestock products (QCL), 2024. World total is the sum of reporting countries.
Share of world output over time
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8% | 7.5% | 5.7% | 4.4% | 3.9% |
New Zealand's lamb exports
| World rank | Export value | Share of world exports | Quantity (tonnes) | Average value per tonne | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $2.2 billion | 25% | 376,602 t | $5,864 | 2024 |
CEPII BACI international trade database (HS22, V202601), HS 0204 (Meat of sheep or goats, fresh, chilled or frozen).
Where New Zealand's lamb goes
| Destination | Value | Share of New Zealand's exports |
|---|---|---|
| China | $569M | 26% |
| United States | $387M | 18% |
| United Kingdom | $235M | 11% |
| Netherlands | $186M | 8.4% |
| Germany | $141M | 6.4% |
How much lamb New Zealand uses
New Zealand's domestic supply of lamb was 60 thousand tonnes in 2023, 0.3% of the world's. Food supply was 12 kg per person a year, 7th highest of 143 countries with a million or more people. It produced 726% of what it used (self-sufficiency) and imported 5%. FAO's item is "Mutton and goat meat". Consumption · Self-sufficiency.
The lamb price New Zealand sells into
The benchmark price, New Zealand, frozen carcass, wholesale London, was $7.26/kg in September 2026, up 16% over twelve months. Its five-year volatility is 16% a year, calmer in 67% of its earlier five-year windows. A single country's export price can differ from the benchmark: see trade price against benchmark. Monthly averages lag the market and are not investment advice. Lamb price history.
Cite as: Commodity Origins, "New Zealand lamb: production, exports and prices", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/NZL/lamb/ (CC BY 4.0). Rankings count only countries reporting to the sources named; this page is shown only for top-five producers or exporters with at least 3% of the world total. Report an issue with this page.