UN Comtrade Data: Global Trade Value of Meat Preparations (SITC 017)

 

🥩 Global Commerce of Prepared Meats: An Overview of UN Comtrade SITC 01 Trade Value

The trade in food products forms a significant component of the global economy. Within the United Nations (UN) classification system for international trade statistics, the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC), this sector is tracked in detail. Specifically, Section 0 covers "Food and Live Animals," and Division 01 is dedicated to "Meat and Meat Preparations."

Understanding the SITC Classification

The SITC system, maintained by the UN Statistics Division, is crucial for international comparisons of trade flows. The classification for meat products is structured as follows (based on SITC Rev. 3/4):

• SITC Section 0: Food and Live Animals

• SITC Division 01: Meat and Meat Preparations

  • SITC 011: Meat of bovine animals, fresh, chilled or frozen.

  • SITC 012: Other meat, fresh, chilled or frozen.

  • SITC 017: Prepared or Preserved Meat and Edible Meat Offal, n.e.s. (This is the category most often associated with diverse 'meat preparations').

When examining the "trade value" for meat preparations, analysts typically focus on the combined value (in current US dollars) of imports and exports reported by member countries under the relevant SITC codes. The data is aggregated and published by the UN Comtrade Database, serving as a primary resource for market research, policy analysis, and tracking global food security trends.

Key Trends in Meat Preparations Trade

Trade in prepared meats (SITC 017) often reflects consumer preferences for convenience, processed foods, and the specialized products of certain countries. Major trade flows are generally driven by:

1. Consumer Demand: High-income countries are often net importers of preserved meats and specialty preparations.

2. Processing Capacity: Countries with advanced food processing industries act as major exporters.

3. Trade Agreements: Bilateral and multilateral trade agreements significantly impact the ease and volume of trade in these prepared goods, affecting customs duties and quotas.

📈 Top Global Trade Values for Prepared/Preserved Meat (HS 02.10)

Rank	Reporting Country	Export Trade Value (US$ Million)	Import Trade Value (US$ Million)	Net Trade Balance (US$ Million)
Top Exporters (Producers)
1	Italy	$1,100	$165	+$935
2	Netherlands	$805	$560	+$245
3	Spain	$751	$132	+$619
4	Brazil	$508	$73	+$435
Top Importers (Consumers)
1	United Kingdom	$46	$990	-$944
2	France	$103	$572	-$469
3	United States	$250	$357	-$107
4	Germany	$315	$510	-$195

---

📝 Conclusion

The trade value reported under SITC 01 (Meat and Meat Preparations) offers crucial insights into global food supply chains and economic dependencies. While fresh meat dominates parts of the trade, the segment of prepared and preserved meats (SITC 017) highlights the rising importance of value-added processing and global consumer demand for ready-to-eat and specialty products. Countries with robust meat processing and export infrastructure maintain a strong net trade surplus, while developed nations often rely heavily on imports to meet domestic demand. Monitoring these Comtrade figures is essential for understanding market dynamics and addressing potential trade policy impacts on food security and agricultural economics worldwide.

---

🌍 Export Trade Value of Prepared Meat (SITC 017) by Global Region

The trade in Prepared or Preserved Meat and Edible Meat Offal (SITC 017) is dominated by key regions that possess advanced processing capabilities and extensive trade networks. While raw data from UN Comtrade is often reported at the country level, aggregating this data reveals that Europe and Asia are the largest global centers for exporting these value-added meat products.

SITC 017 falls under SITC Division 01 ("Meat and Meat Preparations") and includes products like sausages, ham, bacon, canned meats, and various other processed and preserved items.

Highest Export Value for Prepared Meat by Region

Based on analysis of global trade flows, the concentration of high-value exports of prepared meat products is clearly seen in the following regional breakdown.

Rank	Region	Estimated Total Export Value (US$ Million)	Key Contributing Countries	Dominant Trade Characteristic
1	Europe (EU + others)	>18,000	Germany, Poland, Spain, Netherlands, France	Intra-regional trade, advanced processing technology.
2	Asia	>15,000	China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia	Major global exporters of canned and frozen prepared poultry/fish products (often grouped with meat preps).
3	North America	>4,000	United States, Canada	High volume domestic consumption, focused on high-value exports.
4	South America	>3,000	Brazil, Argentina	World leaders in raw meat (SITC 011/012), growing share in value-added preparations.

Note on Data: Specific, aggregated regional values for the latest year (2023) are not directly available in the provided snippets. The values above are estimated based on reported country-level figures and known regional trade dominance (e.g., China and Thailand's vast exports of processed food in Asia; major EU players like Germany and Poland). Europe generally leads the world in the sheer scale and value of intra-regional trade for high-value processed meats.

---

Key Regional Dynamics

• Europe (1st Rank): The European Union and its immediate neighbors form the single largest global hub for prepared meat trade. This is characterized by high-volume internal trade and a strong focus on high-end products like specialized hams, sausages, and deli meats. Countries like Germany and Poland consistently rank among the world's top exporters.

• Asia (2nd Rank): Asian countries, led by China and Thailand, focus heavily on highly processed, preserved, and prepared poultry and seafood products (which are often categorized broadly alongside prepared meat). Their competitive advantage lies in large-scale, cost-effective processing for global markets.

• Americas (3rd & 4th Rank): Countries in North and South America are primarily recognized as global heavyweights in the export of raw, fresh, and frozen meat (SITC 011/012). While their processed meat exports are significant, they have a smaller share in the global market compared to their raw meat dominance. Brazil, however, is rapidly expanding its prepared meat offerings.

📝 Conclusion

The trade value data, particularly for the SITC 017 category of prepared and preserved meats, underscores a division of labor in the global meat market. While raw meat production is shifting toward the Americas and Australia, the value-added processing and trade is overwhelmingly concentrated in Europe and Asia. Europe's mature internal market drives enormous trade volumes of varied preparations, while Asia's massive processing output meets global demand for shelf-stable and bulk processed products. Tracking these regional trade values remains essential for understanding global food security, consumer trends, and international trade policy.

---

🏭 UN Comtrade Data: Global Leaders in Prepared Meat Production and Trade (SITC 017 / HS 1602)

The global market for Meat Preparations is characterized by a mix of high-value processing centers and large-scale manufacturing hubs. While production volume statistics are often tracked by agricultural bodies, the most reliable measure of a country's dominance in this sector is its Export Trade Value, as recorded in the UN Comtrade Database.

"Meat Preparations" generally corresponds to SITC 017 (Meat and edible meat offal, prepared or preserved, n.e.s.) and HS 1602 (Other Prepared Meat). The tables below highlight the countries with the highest figures in the key metrics associated with this sector.

1. Highest Export Trade Value (Global Market Dominance)

This data, based on the Harmonized System (HS 1602), reflects the global market share and production surplus of prepared meat products, indicating the top suppliers to the world.

Rank	Reporting Country	Export Trade Value (US$ Billion)	Primary Region	Year of Data
1	Thailand	$3.01 Billion	Asia	2023
2	Germany	$1.83 Billion	Europe	2023
3	China	$1.69 Billion	Asia	2023
4	Poland	$1.42 Billion	Europe	2023
5	Netherlands	$1.09 Billion	Europe	2023

Source: UN Comtrade data for HS 1602 (Other Prepared Meat), as reported via OEC for 2023.

---

2. Highest Export Value for Bovine Preparations (Specific Category)

Focusing on a high-value subset, this data provides the actual trade value for HS 160250 (Preparations of meat of bovine animals), showing the strength of exporters in beef processing.

Rank	Reporting Country	Export Trade Value (US$ Thousand)	Primary Region	Year of Data
1	Brazil	646,665.30	South America	2023
2	European Union (Aggregate)	307,372.75	Europe	2023
3	United States	287,460.85	North America	2023
4	Ireland	254,867.75	Europe	2023
5	Germany	252,281.20	Europe	2023

Source: UN Comtrade data for HS 160250 (Preparations of meat of bovine animals) for 2023.

---

📝 Conclusion

The UN Comtrade statistics reveal that global leadership in prepared meat production is segmented:

1. Asia's Export Hubs (Thailand, China): These countries dominate the overall HS 1602 export market, largely through massive, cost-effective manufacturing of poultry, fish, and other processed items, serving the bulk global consumer market.

2. Europe's Processing Strength (Germany, Poland, Netherlands): European countries are consistently high-ranking exporters in both the overall and the specific bovine preparation categories, reflecting their mature, high-value processing industries and strong internal trade within the EU.

3. Raw Material Integrators (Brazil, US): Countries with large raw meat supplies, like Brazil (leader in bovine preparations) and the United States, are effectively integrating processing into their operations to capture higher value, moving beyond fresh/frozen cuts.

The export figures, directly sourced from the UN Comtrade database, are the clearest indicators of which countries are producing and successfully exporting the highest value of meat preparations globally.

---

🍽️ UN Comtrade Context: Regional Consumption Patterns of Processed Meat and Preparations

While the UN Comtrade database primarily tracks the trade value (imports and exports) of goods like meat preparations (SITC 017), understanding the market requires looking at the consumption patterns that drive this trade. Consumption is typically measured by quantity per person or total market size, data which is often compiled by research institutions and agricultural organizations like the FAO.

The demand for "Meat Preparations" (processed and preserved meats) is overwhelmingly concentrated in regions with high incomes, high urbanization rates, and convenience-oriented lifestyles.

Highest Regional Consumption of Processed Meat

The most recent comprehensive data on per-capita consumption of processed meat highlights the dominance of high-income regions, particularly those in Europe and the Americas, followed closely by rapidly urbanizing Asian regions.

The table below presents the daily per-capita consumption of processed meat, which serves as the clearest proxy for regional demand for meat preparations.

Rank	Region (Classification)	Processed Meat Consumption (grams per day, average)	Key Drivers
1	Central or Eastern Europe and Central Asia	54 g/day	Traditional high-meat diets, affordability, and cultural dishes (e.g., sausages).
2	Latin America and the Caribbean	37 g/day	Strong cultural preference for processed meats and high overall animal-source food intake.
3	High-Income Countries (North America, Western Europe, Oceania)	30 g/day	High income, convenience demand (deli meats, ready-to-eat products), high urbanization.
4	Middle East and North Africa	19 g/day	Rising income and urbanization driving demand for modern processed foods.
5	Southeast and East Asia	13 g/day	Rapidly growing market (China, Japan, S. Korea) with urbanization and Westernized diets.

Source: Global Dietary Database analysis of animal-source food consumption (data reflects a 2018 snapshot, but trends remain consistent).

Market Size vs. Per-Capita Consumption

While the per-capita figures show individual eating habits, the total market size metric highlights the absolute volume of consumption, which is dominated by population size.

• Market Size Leader: The Asia-Pacific region is the largest overall market for meat products (including preparations), accounting for over 45% of global consumption and revenue. This is due to the massive populations of China and India, even though their per-capita consumption of processed meat is lower than in Europe or North America.

📝 Conclusion

The consumption of meat preparations (SITC 017) is a key driver for international trade, particularly imports tracked by UN Comtrade. The data confirms that:

• Per-Capita Demand is Highest in Established Markets: Central/Eastern Europe and Latin America show the highest average daily consumption of processed meat, reflecting deep-seated dietary and cultural norms.

• Total Market Growth is in Asia: The Asia-Pacific region represents the greatest opportunity for future demand and market expansion, fueling the high export volumes from processing countries seen in the UN Comtrade data (e.g., Thailand and China).

The trade flows captured by the UN Comtrade database are therefore strongly influenced by the high per-capita demand in Western markets and the rapidly increasing total demand from the massive consumer base in Asia.

---

🍽️ Global Consumption Leaders for Prepared Meat and Preparations (HS 1602)

The global demand for Meat Preparations (categorized as HS 1602, Other Prepared Meat) is tracked by analyzing import flows recorded in the UN Comtrade Database. Countries with high import values are the largest consumer markets, relying on international trade to satisfy their domestic demand for processed, ready-to-eat, and specialty meat products.

The analysis below focuses on the two primary metrics indicating consumption dominance: Import Trade Value (reflecting market size) and Per-Capita Consumption (reflecting individual demand).

1. Highest Import Trade Value (Consumption Market Size)

The countries and areas listed below recorded the highest import value for HS 1602 in 2023. These figures represent the largest markets for prepared meat, necessitating significant international supply.

Rank	Importing Country/Area	Import Trade Value (US$ Billion)	Primary Region
1	United Kingdom	$3.10 Billion	Europe
2	Japan	$2.79 Billion	Asia
3	United States	$1.40 Billion	North America
4	Germany	$0.95 Billion	Europe
5	France	$0.87 Billion	Europe

---

2. Highest Total Meat Consumption (Per-Capita Demand)

While not exclusive to processed preparations, a country's overall meat consumption per person is a strong indicator of the underlying high demand that drives the prepared meat market. These figures show the intensity of consumption habits in certain countries.

Rank	Country	Total Meat Consumption (kg/person/year)
1	Hong Kong	137.08 kg
2	Macao	103.15 kg
3	Australia	121.61 kg
4	United States	~110 kg

---

📝 Conclusion

The data confirms that the largest consumer markets for prepared meat, as reflected by the UN Comtrade import figures for HS 1602, are concentrated in wealthy, highly urbanized nations: the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United States. These countries rely on billions of dollars in international trade to meet their domestic consumption needs. Furthermore, the extremely high per-capita consumption rates in territories like Hong Kong and Macao and countries like Australia demonstrate intense individual consumer demand for meat products, including processed and value-added preparations. These powerful consumer markets are the fundamental drivers for the global export activities identified in the UN Comtrade data.

---

🥩 Global Leaders in Meat Preparation Production: Corporate Revenue and Scale

The production of Meat Preparations (which aligns with the SITC 017 classification of value-added, processed, and preserved meats) is dominated by a few large, multinational food processing corporations. These companies use their vast scale, integrated supply chains, and extensive branding to lead the market.

Since production volume for private companies is not public data like UN Comtrade's trade value, the best metric to assess a company's production scale is its Total Annual Revenue. The companies listed below are the top global players in the broader meat processing sector, with dedicated segments for prepared and packaged foods.

Leading Global Meat Processing Companies by Total Annual Revenue

The following companies are the largest producers in the world, with significant portions of their business dedicated to prepared and processed meats (SITC 017/HS 1602).

Rank	Company Name	Headquarters Country	Total Annual Revenue (Approximate US$ Billion)	Primary Business Focus
1	Cargill, Incorporated	United States	$160.0 Billion	Global Trading, Agriculture, Beef, Poultry, and Processed Meats
2	JBS S.A.	Brazil	$77.2 Billion	Global leader in Beef, Pork, Poultry, and major Prepared Foods (Seara, Pilgrim's Pride)
3	Tyson Foods, Inc.	United States	$54.4 Billion	Beef, Pork, Chicken, and a major producer of branded Prepared Foods
4	WH Group Limited	China/Hong Kong	$28.1 Billion	World's largest pork company; owns Smithfield Foods (a major prepared foods producer)
5	Marfrig Global Foods S.A.	Brazil	$37.7 Billion	Global Beef and Poultry (focused on raw production and integrated processing)
6	Hormel Foods Corporation	United States	$12.5 Billion	Highly focused on Branded Processed Meats and convenient packaged goods (e.g., SPAM)
7	BRF S.A.	Brazil	N/A	Major global exporter of Poultry and Pork, with strong processed brands (Sadia, Perdigão)
8	Danish Crown	Denmark	N/A	Leading European pork and beef cooperative, with significant processed meat production.

---

Key Production Segment Focus: Prepared Foods Revenue

For companies like Tyson Foods, the dedicated Prepared Foods segment is a direct indicator of their production of SITC 017 goods. This segment often provides higher operating margins than raw meat processing (beef, pork, chicken).

Company	Segment	Annual Segment Sales (Approximate)	Contribution to Meat Preparations
Tyson Foods, Inc.	Prepared Foods	$9.93 Billion (2024)	Production of high-value items like cooked ham, bacon, deli meats, and frozen entrees.
WH Group	Packaged Meats	N/A	Production of branded cured, smoked, and packaged pork products globally.
Hormel Foods	Retail/Foodservice	N/A	Core business is specialty and shelf-stable meat preparations.

---

📝 Conclusion

The production of meat preparations is dominated by a few multinational giants, with Cargill, JBS, and Tyson Foods leading in overall revenue and scale. The concentration of high revenue in the Prepared Foods segments of these companies confirms that value-added processing is central to their strategy. Companies like Tyson Foods and Hormel Foods are prime examples of the shift toward high-margin, convenient processed products demanded by the global consumer markets tracked by UN Comtrade import statistics.

---