India livestock-product exports rise 44% to $3.13 billion in April–August

India’s livestock-product exports climbed 44% year on year in April–August to more than $3.132 billion, led by buffalo meat demand and supported by dairy ghee shipments. Poultry exports are also recovering as exporters pursue new markets and stronger traceability.

— Source publishedWed, 16 Sept, 2026, 19:20 IST·First seen Wed, 16 Sept, 2026, 19:22 IST·Source BL · Consumer & Economy

What happened

India livestock products · India’s livestock-product exports rose 44% to $3.132 billion in April-August, led by buffalo meat demand and supported by dairy ghee

Key facts

  • Livestock product exports rose 44% to over $3.132 billion in April-August
  • April-August exports were $2.177 billion a year earlier
  • August 2026 meat, dairy and poultry exports reached $694 million, up 37.1% from $506 million
  • FY 2025-26 livestock exports rose 22% to $6.215 billion from $5.096 billion

What changed

India’s livestock-product exports rose 44% to $3.132 billion in April-August, led by buffalo meat demand and supported by dairy ghee shipments. Poultry exports are recovering after West Asia war-related disruptions, while exporters seek broader markets and stronger traceability.

Why this matters

Rising overseas demand for buffalo meat, ghee and recovering poultry exports creates volume upside for Indian livestock exporters while increasing the need for reliable traceability and export-grade supply chains.

What to watch

  • Monthly livestock export value and volume growth, particularly buffalo meat versus ghee and poultry.
  • Export realization per tonne, which will distinguish volume-led growth from pricing-led growth.
  • Changes in domestic retail prices for ghee, buffalo meat, chicken and eggs.
  • New sanitary, halal, residue-testing or traceability requirements from major importing countries.
  • Avian-influenza, foot-and-mouth disease or other animal-health outbreaks and resulting trade restrictions.

Also reported by