The size of the South African meat market is growing at a faster pace compared to other African countries. It is one of the biggest industries in Africa. This country produces around 22% of the meat produced in the entire African region. The red meat in South Africa has a great demand all around the world. During the last 10 years, the red meat export of this country has increased manifold. One declaration by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) was instrumental in the rapid surge of red meat exports. This agency stated that the meat available in South Africa does not contain any foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease-causing germs. 

The booming meat industry 

After the declaration of WOAH in 2014, the South African meat industry made huge revenues and profits in the last decade Today, South Africa is one of the most prominent red meat exporters in the world with Vietnam, Jordan, and UAE. You can come across a wide variety of meat options, including calves and full-grown cows, in this country.

Temporary setback 

Unfortunately, South Africa lost its status as an FMD-free industry in 2019. It was a major setback for the industry. The sales decreased considerably. It also affected the export market. It took some for the industry to get out of this crisis. Since then, the production of beef started declining for a few years. During this period, the cattle price in South Africa decreased considerably. However, the industry has been reviving fast with improved production and export volume. 

Ever-expanding processed meat market 

The processed meat market is expanding at a fast pace nowadays. Various research studies reveal that the processed meat industry will reach up to $ 820 million in the next five years. The present market size is around $590 million. More and more people have started using packaged meat products these days. This aspect is what triggers the enormous growth of the processed meat market. If this trend continues, South Africa is most likely to become one of the largest beef producers in the African region and in the world. 

Increasing affinity for processed meat 

Millennials prefer processed red meat nowadays. You can see the same trend in other meat products. Young people buy ready-to-cook foods because of their convenience. So, there is a strong demand for quality meat products. Middle-class people are ready to spend money, but they need top-quality products. The meat manufacturers are the ultimate beneficiaries of these upward trends. 

The meat sector is one of the rapidly growing components of the farming industry in South Africa. The meat market contributes immensely to the agricultural sector. The recent trends clearly suggest that the meat industry in South Africa is going to grow bigger and become one of the largest exporters of meat products in the world.