Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in China
China: Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat was 45.89 million animals in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
45.89 million animals
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
1st
of 198 countries
All-time high
45.89 million animals
in 2024
All-time low
506,000 animals
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in China, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
In 2024, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in China stood at 45.89 million animals. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in China peaked at 45.89 million animals in 2024 and was at its lowest, 506,000 animals, in 1961.
That places China 1st out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in China, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 506,000 animals | — |
| 1962 | 690,000 animals | +36.4% |
| 1963 | 925,000 animals | +34.1% |
| 1964 | 1.03 million animals | +11.9% |
| 1965 | 1.16 million animals | +12.1% |
| 1966 | 1.26 million animals | +8.6% |
| 1967 | 1.31 million animals | +4.0% |
| 1968 | 1.31 million animals | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.33 million animals | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 1.33 million animals | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.50 million animals | +12.8% |
| 1972 | 1.61 million animals | +7.3% |
| 1973 | 1.77 million animals | +9.9% |
| 1974 | 1.88 million animals | +5.9% |
| 1975 | 1.95 million animals | +4.0% |
| 1976 | 1.84 million animals | -5.4% |
| 1977 | 1.95 million animals | +5.7% |
| 1978 | 1.95 million animals | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 2.23 million animals | +14.1% |
| 1980 | 2.49 million animals | +11.9% |
| 1981 | 2.46 million animals | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 2.50 million animals | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 2.66 million animals | +6.4% |
| 1984 | 3.06 million animals | +15.0% |
| 1985 | 3.45 million animals | +12.7% |
| 1986 | 4.40 million animals | +27.5% |
| 1987 | 5.20 million animals | +18.2% |
| 1988 | 5.74 million animals | +10.4% |
| 1989 | 6.53 million animals | +13.8% |
| 1990 | 7.55 million animals | +15.5% |
| 1991 | 8.73 million animals | +15.7% |
| 1992 | 9.98 million animals | +14.4% |
| 1993 | 12.28 million animals | +23.0% |
| 1994 | 15.86 million animals | +29.2% |
| 1995 | 18.34 million animals | +15.6% |
| 1996 | 20.52 million animals | +11.9% |
| 1997 | 26.30 million animals | +28.2% |
| 1998 | 29.23 million animals | +11.1% |
| 1999 | 30.60 million animals | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 32.45 million animals | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 33.17 million animals | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 34.09 million animals | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 36.47 million animals | +7.0% |
| 2004 | 37.96 million animals | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 38.55 million animals | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 39.42 million animals | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 40.52 million animals | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 41.40 million animals | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 38.63 million animals | -6.7% |
| 2010 | 38.86 million animals | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 37.81 million animals | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 37.97 million animals | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 37.71 million animals | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 37.80 million animals | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 37.90 million animals | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 38.38 million animals | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 39.06 million animals | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 39.58 million animals | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 40.80 million animals | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 41.09 million animals | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 42.37 million animals | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 43.56 million animals | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 45.21 million animals | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 45.89 million animals | +1.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 45.89 million animals is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 300,000 animals, 153.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- China's 45.89 million animals is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 117,197 animals, 391.5× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.06 million animals | 506,000 animals | 1.33 million animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.80 million animals | 1.33 million animals | 2.23 million animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.85 million animals | 2.46 million animals | 6.53 million animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.94 million animals | 7.55 million animals | 30.60 million animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.27 million animals | 32.45 million animals | 41.40 million animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.59 million animals | 37.71 million animals | 40.80 million animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.62 million animals | 41.09 million animals | 45.89 million animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in China?
- Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in China was 45.89 million animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 45.89 million animals in 2024.
- What is the lowest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 506,000 animals in 1961.
- How does China rank for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- China ranks 1st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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