Meat production in Zambia
Zambia: Meat production was 369,605 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
369,605 tonnes
Change on year
down 3.2%
World rank
86th
of 202 countries
All-time high
381,892 tonnes
in 2023
All-time low
43,848 tonnes
in 1962
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Meat production in Zambia, 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 in Zambia is 369,605 tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, meat production in Zambia peaked at 381,892 tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 43,848 tonnes, in 1962.
Zambia ranks 86th of 202 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 in Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 44,005 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 43,848 tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 43,994 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 45,311 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 48,910 tonnes | +7.9% |
| 1966 | 52,092 tonnes | +6.5% |
| 1967 | 52,003 tonnes | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 53,583 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 54,884 tonnes | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 57,611 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 1971 | 55,318 tonnes | -4.0% |
| 1972 | 61,642 tonnes | +11.4% |
| 1973 | 63,325 tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 65,363 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 72,222 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 1976 | 78,685 tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1977 | 79,712 tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 79,454 tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 79,539 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 82,689 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 81,448 tonnes | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 85,698 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1983 | 79,820 tonnes | -6.9% |
| 1984 | 74,775 tonnes | -6.3% |
| 1985 | 81,117 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1986 | 82,668 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 84,856 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 87,696 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 91,900 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1990 | 114,212 tonnes | +24.3% |
| 1991 | 119,135 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 118,098 tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 119,253 tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 117,915 tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 111,873 tonnes | -5.1% |
| 1996 | 113,986 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 125,613 tonnes | +10.2% |
| 1998 | 131,380 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 138,816 tonnes | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 136,568 tonnes | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 142,406 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 148,110 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 148,893 tonnes | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 147,726 tonnes | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 151,611 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 148,822 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 156,406 tonnes | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 184,412 tonnes | +17.9% |
| 2009 | 230,158 tonnes | +24.8% |
| 2010 | 265,615 tonnes | +15.4% |
| 2011 | 270,697 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 301,120 tonnes | +11.2% |
| 2013 | 327,453 tonnes | +8.7% |
| 2014 | 335,951 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 284,298 tonnes | -15.4% |
| 2016 | 283,968 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 340,036 tonnes | +19.7% |
| 2018 | 318,835 tonnes | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 323,869 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 311,604 tonnes | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 323,917 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 314,124 tonnes | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 381,892 tonnes | +21.6% |
| 2024 | 369,605 tonnes | -3.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 369,605 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 323,365 tonnes, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 369,605 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 169,373 tonnes, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 48,737 tonnes | 43,848 tonnes | 54,884 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 69,287 tonnes | 55,318 tonnes | 79,712 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 83,267 tonnes | 74,775 tonnes | 91,900 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 121,028 tonnes | 111,873 tonnes | 138,816 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 159,511 tonnes | 136,568 tonnes | 230,158 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 305,184 tonnes | 265,615 tonnes | 340,036 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 340,228 tonnes | 311,604 tonnes | 381,892 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 65.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0411 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 54.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5408 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is meat production in Zambia?
- Meat production in Zambia was 369,605 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 recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 381,892 tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest meat production recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 43,848 tonnes in 1962.
- How does Zambia rank for meat production?
- Zambia ranks 86th out of 202 countries with data for 2024.
- Is meat production rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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. 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).
About this data
Expressed in tonnes. Includes cattle, poultry, sheep/mutton, goat, pigmeat, and wild game.