Meat production by livestock type in New Zealand
New Zealand: Meat production by livestock type was 17,105 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
17,105 tonnes
Change on year
down 9.0%
World rank
23rd
of 60 countries
All-time high
41,792 tonnes
in 2005
All-time low
500 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Meat production by livestock type in New Zealand, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for meat production by livestock type in New Zealand is 17,105 tonnes, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 9.0% on the previous year and down 29.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, meat production by livestock type in New Zealand peaked at 41,792 tonnes in 2005 and was at its lowest, 500 tonnes, in 1961.
New Zealand ranks 23rd of 60 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Meat production by livestock type in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 500 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 800 tonnes | +60.0% |
| 1963 | 1,000 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1964 | 2,000 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 1965 | 3,500 tonnes | +75.0% |
| 1966 | 3,000 tonnes | -14.3% |
| 1967 | 3,200 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1968 | 3,860 tonnes | +20.6% |
| 1969 | 3,242 tonnes | -16.0% |
| 1970 | 3,689 tonnes | +13.8% |
| 1971 | 4,359 tonnes | +18.2% |
| 1972 | 4,384 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 6,000 tonnes | +36.9% |
| 1974 | 4,000 tonnes | -33.3% |
| 1975 | 3,000 tonnes | -25.0% |
| 1976 | 3,200 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1977 | 3,700 tonnes | +15.6% |
| 1978 | 3,000 tonnes | -18.9% |
| 1979 | 2,500 tonnes | -16.7% |
| 1980 | 2,500 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 2,500 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1,438 tonnes | -42.5% |
| 1983 | 2,200 tonnes | +53.0% |
| 1984 | 2,200 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2,800 tonnes | +27.3% |
| 1986 | 3,200 tonnes | +14.3% |
| 1987 | 4,080 tonnes | +27.5% |
| 1988 | 4,500 tonnes | +10.3% |
| 1989 | 4,394 tonnes | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 5,560 tonnes | +26.5% |
| 1991 | 10,240 tonnes | +84.2% |
| 1992 | 22,700 tonnes | +121.7% |
| 1993 | 18,400 tonnes | -18.9% |
| 1994 | 22,000 tonnes | +19.6% |
| 1995 | 22,100 tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 17,900 tonnes | -19.0% |
| 1997 | 17,400 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 21,900 tonnes | +25.9% |
| 1999 | 26,250 tonnes | +19.9% |
| 2000 | 21,767 tonnes | -17.1% |
| 2001 | 23,760 tonnes | +9.2% |
| 2002 | 25,580 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 29,466 tonnes | +15.2% |
| 2004 | 36,721 tonnes | +24.6% |
| 2005 | 41,792 tonnes | +13.8% |
| 2006 | 38,647 tonnes | -7.5% |
| 2007 | 32,903 tonnes | -14.9% |
| 2008 | 32,318 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 27,207 tonnes | -15.8% |
| 2010 | 21,261 tonnes | -21.9% |
| 2011 | 22,920 tonnes | +7.8% |
| 2012 | 22,900 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 23,712 tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 24,150 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 22,463 tonnes | -7.0% |
| 2016 | 23,442 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 22,704 tonnes | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 22,067 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 22,366 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 21,415 tonnes | -4.3% |
| 2021 | 21,423 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 20,188 tonnes | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 18,795 tonnes | -6.9% |
| 2024 | 17,105 tonnes | -9.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,345 tonnes | 500 tonnes | 3,860 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 3,783 tonnes | 2,500 tonnes | 6,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,981 tonnes | 1,438 tonnes | 4,500 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 18,445 tonnes | 5,560 tonnes | 26,250 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 31,016 tonnes | 21,767 tonnes | 41,792 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 22,798 tonnes | 21,261 tonnes | 24,150 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 19,785 tonnes | 17,105 tonnes | 21,423 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 20 Mali 26,917 tonnes compare
- 21 Central African Republic 24,232 tonnes compare
- 22 Tanzania, United Republic of 24,000 tonnes compare
- 24 Rwanda 17,036 tonnes compare
- 25 Sweden 16,062 tonnes compare
- 26 South Sudan 10,071 tonnes compare
More agriculture & rural data for New Zealand
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -10.07 % change on previous year (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0401 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,976 current US$ per person (2023)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.275 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.16 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.0% (2023)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is meat production by livestock type in New Zealand?
- Meat production by livestock type in New Zealand was 17,105 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 meat production by livestock type recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 41,792 tonnes in 2005.
- What is the lowest meat production by livestock type recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 500 tonnes in 1961.
- How does New Zealand rank for meat production by livestock type?
- New Zealand ranks 23rd out of 60 countries with data for 2024.
- Is meat production by livestock type rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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 Meat production by livestock type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).