M. Shahbandeh
Research expert covering agriculture & FMCG
Beef market in Canada - statistics and facts
Beef is the culinary name for meat which comes from cattle. Produced from bulls, heifers or steers, beef is a variety of red meat which may be cut into roasts, steaks or short ribs. Numerous cuts of steak exist, from premium steaks such as rib eye, sirloin, or tenderloin to more budget varieties such as hanger and skirt steak. In 2022, the global production of beef and veal amounted to about 59 million metric tons.
Beef market and trade
In 2022, around 1.38 million metric tons of of beef were produced in Canada, and almost 598 thousand metric tons of beef were exported that year. The United States accounted for the largest export market for beef, with an export value of approximately 3.45 billion Canadian dollars. The western province of Alberta accounted for the largest beef cow inventory, with around 1.56 million heads as of January 2023. The average retail price of prime rib roast was 43.16 Canadian dollars in February 2022, an increase from 38.6 Canadian dollars in May of the previous year.Consumers
Only about five percent of Canadians follow a vegetarian diet, meaning they do not eat any meat. However 27 percent of Canadians consume beef less than once a week, showing it is not a large part of their diets. Leading motives for reducing or stopping beef consumption completely include overall health, the environment, and animal cruelty. The decrease in consumption is reflected in the per capita consumption of beef in Canada. The estimated consumption in 2023 was about 24.5 kilograms per person, over a 33 percent decrease compared to 1980.
