Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Netherlands
Netherlands: Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat was 2.11 million animals in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
2.11 million animals
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
34th
of 198 countries
All-time high
2.60 million animals
in 1992
All-time low
1.31 million animals
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Netherlands, 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 Netherlands stood at 2.11 million animals.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and up 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Netherlands peaked at 2.60 million animals in 1992 and was at its lowest, 1.31 million animals, in 1961.
That places Netherlands 34th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.31 million animals | — |
| 1962 | 1.54 million animals | +17.3% |
| 1963 | 1.90 million animals | +23.0% |
| 1964 | 1.50 million animals | -20.8% |
| 1965 | 1.51 million animals | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 1.54 million animals | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 1.61 million animals | +4.7% |
| 1968 | 1.72 million animals | +6.6% |
| 1969 | 1.71 million animals | -0.7% |
| 1970 | 1.94 million animals | +13.7% |
| 1971 | 1.92 million animals | -1.3% |
| 1972 | 1.63 million animals | -14.8% |
| 1973 | 1.67 million animals | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 2.03 million animals | +22.0% |
| 1975 | 2.03 million animals | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 2.01 million animals | -0.8% |
| 1977 | 2.03 million animals | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 1.97 million animals | -3.1% |
| 1979 | 2.04 million animals | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 2.11 million animals | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 2.21 million animals | +4.6% |
| 1982 | 2.15 million animals | -2.6% |
| 1983 | 2.24 million animals | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 2.50 million animals | +11.7% |
| 1985 | 2.44 million animals | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 2.51 million animals | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 2.46 million animals | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 2.22 million animals | -9.9% |
| 1989 | 2.12 million animals | -4.5% |
| 1990 | 2.25 million animals | +6.3% |
| 1991 | 2.57 million animals | +14.2% |
| 1992 | 2.60 million animals | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 2.49 million animals | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 2.46 million animals | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 2.38 million animals | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 2.40 million animals | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 2.50 million animals | +4.3% |
| 1998 | 2.41 million animals | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 2.33 million animals | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 2.25 million animals | -3.6% |
| 2001 | 1.66 million animals | -26.3% |
| 2002 | 1.88 million animals | +13.2% |
| 2003 | 1.85 million animals | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 1.96 million animals | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 1.97 million animals | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 1.92 million animals | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 1.91 million animals | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 1.96 million animals | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 2.09 million animals | +6.3% |
| 2010 | 2.06 million animals | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 2.03 million animals | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 1.93 million animals | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 1.96 million animals | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 1.96 million animals | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.96 million animals | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 2.10 million animals | +7.1% |
| 2017 | 2.16 million animals | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 2.24 million animals | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 2.12 million animals | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 2.09 million animals | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 2.09 million animals | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 2.11 million animals | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 2.14 million animals | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 2.11 million animals | -1.5% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 2.11 million animals is above the median for high income countries, which is 161,025 animals, 13.1× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 2.11 million animals is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 433,650 animals, 4.9× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.59 million animals | 1.31 million animals | 1.90 million animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.93 million animals | 1.63 million animals | 2.04 million animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.29 million animals | 2.11 million animals | 2.51 million animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.44 million animals | 2.25 million animals | 2.60 million animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.94 million animals | 1.66 million animals | 2.25 million animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.05 million animals | 1.93 million animals | 2.24 million animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.11 million animals | 2.09 million animals | 2.14 million animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More agriculture & rural data for Netherlands
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 6.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0168 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,240 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -6.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.0406 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Netherlands?
- Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Netherlands was 2.11 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 Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 2.60 million animals in 1992.
- What is the lowest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.31 million animals in 1961.
- How does Netherlands rank for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- Netherlands ranks 34th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands 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.
Download this data
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