What are the 10 countries that export the most beef in the world? The answer may very well surprise. Beef is one of the most consumed meats in the world. Beef is the name given to meat from cattle. Beef can be from any of steers, heifers or bulls. It is one of the main staples in most parts of the world, but it is also forbidden by some religions.
Beef is the third most consumed form of meat in the world. Pork tops the list while poultry comes in at second place. This is surprising since pork is forbidden in Islam, which has 1.6 billion followers in the world. Of course, many Muslims still eat pork, which may explain its ranking. Despite being third, beef accounts for a quarter of all meat consumed in the world.
Beef can be used in a variety of dishes, which is why it so favored. It can be made into filet mignon, roast, and short ribs while other cuts can be mixed with other types of meat, which in turn can be ground into sausages as well. For more information, you can learn about the most expensive beef cuts in the world.
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The largest consumers of beef are unsurprising, the United States of America, Brazil, and China. It is unsurprising since these countries have large populations as well. However, the second most populous country in the word, India, doesn’t make the cut, mainly because most of the people living in the country follow the religion of Hinduism, which has forbidden the consumption of beef.
However, as mentioned earlier, overall consumption of beef does not give a true picture of a nation’s love for beef. Hence, a more accurate comparison would be to look at the per capita consumption of beef in a country. When such a scenario is looked at, it turns out that Uruguay has the highest beef consumption per capita, followed by other South American countries such as Argentina and Brazil, showing that no matter what, South Americans definitely love beef.
Of course, it isn’t simply Hinduism where beef is forbidden. During the season of Lent, Orthodox Christians abstain from any sort of meat, including beef and poultry, in addition to avoiding dairy products as well. Furthermore, while Muslims are allowed, encouraged in fact, to eat meat (they have a religious holiday where animals are slaughtered and the meat is distributed among friends, relatives and the needy), the animal needs to have been slaughtered according to Islamic customs and traditions. Otherwise, the meat is forbidden as well.
Of course, none of this has got any leeway on India, where several states have actually prohibited the slaughter and consumption of beef as well. To a lesser extent, Cuba also limited the slaughter of cows, though this had less to do with religion and more to maintain their herd.
Beef is very nutritious in nature. It contains a lot of protein, in addition to minerals such as iron, B vitamins, zinc, phosphorus, and selenium. On the other hand, red meat has recently been linked to an increase in the chances of bowel cancer.
The Harvard School of Public Health recommended that red meat should not be consumed very often, as it contains saturated fat, which can result in coronary heart disease as well as cardiovascular disease. However, this study has seen many detractors as well, who disagree with the findings.
We sought to determine the countries that export the most beef in the world. It is a very lucrative business, as can be seen by the fact that exports in 2014 alone amounted to $22.6 billion. And this is just regarding the shipment of fresh beef. Frozen beef exports saw even higher figures, of over $24 billion. Beef exports have increased nearly 25% in the past 6 years. We collected our data from Worlds Top Exports. Without further ado, here is our ranking, starting with number 10:
