Nz Meat Export 2026 Market Overview & Trends

New Zealand's export value peaked in 2022 at $6.19 billion but has since declined to $5.18 billion in 2024. While values have fluctuated, export quantities remained relatively stable between 931 million and 992 million units over the last five years. This suggests that recent revenue declines are largely driven by global price volatility rather than a drop in production volume.

In 2024, the United States emerged as the top importer with a value of $1.56 billion, closely followed by China at $1.26 billion. These two nations dominate the trade landscape, significantly outpacing other key markets like the United Kingdom, Japan, and the Netherlands, which each represent smaller but vital portions of the export portfolio.

The United Kingdom and Canada are leading as high-growth markets, with impressive rates of 44.3% and 42.8% respectively. Although the United States maintains the highest total value, the rapid expansion in these secondary markets suggests a successful diversification strategy and rising demand for New Zealand products in these regions.

Frozen boneless bovine meat is the premier export product, generating over $2.02 billion in 2024. Frozen sheep cuts also show significant strength at $1.36 billion. Together, these categories represent the core of the export sector, emphasizing New Zealand's specialization in high-value, frozen meat processing for international markets.