Meat production volume in India FY 2023, by species

In financial year 2023, poultry was the most produced meat in India, with nearly five million metric tons in volume. This was followed by buffalo and goat meat. On the other hand, cattle and pigs were the smallest contributors to the total meat production across the country that year. 

India’s preference for poultry

India is known to consume far less meat than the global average. However, the rising urban population and increasing disposable incomes have resulted in more meat consumption. Among the various meat types, poultry is the most popular. In 2020, the consumption of poultry was over 3.9 million metric tons. The last few years saw a steady increase in the consumption of poultry meat. The main reason for the popularity and wide acceptance of white meat in India can be attributed to the religious taboos associated with beef among Hindus and pork among Muslims. As of 2019, India had a poultry population of over 850 million. It was 1.5 times the population of total livestock in the country that year.

Which part of India consumes more meat?

More than 98 percent of the people living in the south Indian state of Telangana were non-vegetarians. The majority of people in the southern and the eastern part of the country were found to consume meat. The south Indian region also accounted for the highest market share for meat across the country in 2016. On the other hand, the west region, owing to low consumption, held the lowest market share.