Beef production in Iraq
Iraq: Beef production was 40,547 tonnes in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
40,547 tonnes
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
108th
of 198 countries
All-time high
59,521 tonnes
in 2012
All-time low
32,864 tonnes
in 2015
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Beef production in Iraq, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Iraq recorded 40,547 tonnes for beef production in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and down 21.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, beef production in Iraq peaked at 59,521 tonnes in 2012 and was at its lowest, 32,864 tonnes, in 2015.
That places Iraq 108th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Beef production in Iraq, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 38,600 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 39,700 tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 40,800 tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 41,600 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 38,000 tonnes | -8.7% |
| 1966 | 37,300 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1967 | 39,500 tonnes | +5.9% |
| 1968 | 40,600 tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 41,850 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 44,570 tonnes | +6.5% |
| 1971 | 45,700 tonnes | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 45,850 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 45,000 tonnes | -1.9% |
| 1974 | 45,400 tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 44,450 tonnes | -2.1% |
| 1976 | 51,306 tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1977 | 50,825 tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 51,150 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 49,825 tonnes | -2.6% |
| 1980 | 50,900 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 49,125 tonnes | -3.5% |
| 1982 | 51,550 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1983 | 49,975 tonnes | -3.1% |
| 1984 | 52,245 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1985 | 48,900 tonnes | -6.4% |
| 1986 | 46,365 tonnes | -5.2% |
| 1987 | 46,520 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 47,085 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 48,110 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 54,065 tonnes | +12.4% |
| 1991 | 34,380 tonnes | -36.4% |
| 1992 | 45,675 tonnes | +32.9% |
| 1993 | 56,475 tonnes | +23.6% |
| 1994 | 51,675 tonnes | -8.5% |
| 1995 | 43,337 tonnes | -16.1% |
| 1996 | 37,160 tonnes | -14.3% |
| 1997 | 45,525 tonnes | +22.5% |
| 1998 | 47,025 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 47,160 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 47,775 tonnes | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 50,640 tonnes | +6.0% |
| 2002 | 51,150 tonnes | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 34,592 tonnes | -32.4% |
| 2004 | 43,610 tonnes | +26.1% |
| 2005 | 48,080 tonnes | +10.2% |
| 2006 | 42,610 tonnes | -11.4% |
| 2007 | 34,281 tonnes | -19.5% |
| 2008 | 52,000 tonnes | +51.7% |
| 2009 | 55,000 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2010 | 58,208 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 58,024 tonnes | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 59,521 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 56,042 tonnes | -5.8% |
| 2014 | 51,367 tonnes | -8.3% |
| 2015 | 32,864 tonnes | -36.0% |
| 2016 | 35,592 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 2017 | 36,886 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 36,405 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 38,434 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 39,691 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 39,561 tonnes | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 40,350 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 41,167 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 40,547 tonnes | -1.5% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 40,547 tonnes is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60,060 tonnes, 68% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 40,547 tonnes is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 41,793 tonnes, 97% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Beef production in Iraq changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +51.7% | 34,281 tonnes | 52,000 tonnes |
| 1991 | -36.4% | 54,065 tonnes | 34,380 tonnes |
| 2015 | -36.0% | 51,367 tonnes | 32,864 tonnes |
| 2003 | -32.4% | 51,150 tonnes | 34,592 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 39,772 tonnes | 37,300 tonnes | 41,850 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 47,408 tonnes | 44,450 tonnes | 51,306 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 49,078 tonnes | 46,365 tonnes | 52,245 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 46,248 tonnes | 34,380 tonnes | 56,475 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 45,974 tonnes | 34,281 tonnes | 55,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 46,334 tonnes | 32,864 tonnes | 59,521 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 40,263 tonnes | 39,561 tonnes | 41,167 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More agriculture & rural data for Iraq
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -8.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0341 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 184.67 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3006 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 3.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 3.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2016)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.1% (2014)
Frequently asked questions
- What is beef production in Iraq?
- Beef production in Iraq was 40,547 tonnes 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 beef production recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 59,521 tonnes in 2012.
- What is the lowest beef production recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 32,864 tonnes in 2015.
- How does Iraq rank for beef production?
- Iraq ranks 108th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is beef production rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iraq 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 Beef production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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