Based on a comparison of 163 countries in 2017, China ranked the highest in sheep meat production with 2,384 kt followed by Australia and New Zealand. On the other end of the scale was South Korea with 0.005 kt, Suriname with 0.013 kt and Costa Rica with 0.014 kt.
Total sheep meat production reached 9,498 kt in 2017 in the World according to Faostat. This is 0.715 % more than in the previous year and 8.02 % more than 10 years ago.
Historically, total sheep meat production reached an all time high of 9,498 kt in 2017 and an all time low of 4,930 kt in 1961. The average annual growth amounted to 1.18 % since 1961.
The top ranked country, China, accounted for 25.1 % of sheep meat production in the world. The top 3 countries hold a 36.9 % share while the ten largest countries some 57.0 % in 2017.
Data for more countries are available at Sheep Meat Production indicator page.
Sheep Meat Production | Unit | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Algeria | kt | 253 | 261 | 280 | 281 | 270 | ||||||||||||||||
Australia | kt | 517 | 554 | 660 | 721 | 721 | ||||||||||||||||
China | kt | 2,044 | 2,045 | 2,081 | 2,184 | 2,248 | ||||||||||||||||
India | kt | 247 | 242 | 238 | 235 | 232 | ||||||||||||||||
Iran | kt | 272 | 275 | 260 | 276 | 314 | ||||||||||||||||
Morocco | kt | 143 | 148 | 118 | 120 | 157 | ||||||||||||||||
New Zealand | kt | 452 | 456 | 481 | 487 | 487 | ||||||||||||||||
Pakistan | kt | 158 | 161 | 163 | 164 | 166 | ||||||||||||||||
Russia | kt | 171 | 173 | 173 | 186 | 187 | ||||||||||||||||
South Africa | kt | 146 | 156 | 178 | 184 | 168 | ||||||||||||||||
Sudan | kt | 324 | 248 | 249 | 251 | 253 | ||||||||||||||||
Syria | kt | 172 | 172 | 164 | 161 | 159 | ||||||||||||||||
Turkey | kt | 253 | 272 | 294 | 318 | 336 | ||||||||||||||||
United Kingdom | kt | 301 | 275 | 289 | 298 | 302 | ||||||||||||||||
Uzbekistan | kt | 138 | 150 | 166 | 177 | 191 |