The South African red meat industry is seeing strong growth, with 2024 marking a year of notable growth. The latest industry report suggests prices for beef and sheep meat are expected to keep rising through 2025. Furthermore, beef production numbers are looking slightly better, while sheep meat production numbers are growing at a slower pace.
The red meat industry witnessed significant growth in 2024, with beef production reaching 777 706 metric tons, thanks to a year-on-year increase in slaughters and higher average slaughter weights.
According to the Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) Report, the country’s beef production is expected to plateau in 2025 before climbing to over 792 000 tons in 2026 and surpassing 804 000 tons by 2027 (BFAP, 2024).
As it stands, beef production remains below its 2016 peak but is steadily increasing. In 2016, nearly three million cattle were slaughtered during a drought-driven herd reduction, but this figure decreased to just over 2.5 million by 2022.
Noko Siboni, a Limpopo-based cattle breeder, says thanks to improved genetics, breeding strategies, and management practices, their production for 2024 has improved for the first time in their farming business.
“Last year, we decided to enhance our herd by purchasing stud bulls, which resulted in a 100% birth rate and increased production. This led to enough heifers for breeding. Investment in quality breeds and good infrastructure pays off, as the red meat market has its own specific requirements,” he said.
The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) reports that beef production has risen from 700 776 tons in 2022 to an anticipated 777 706 tons in 2024.
“This growth is driven by higher slaughter numbers and gains in average slaughter weights,” the RMIS report stated.
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The sheep industry’s steady climb
Sheep meat production, while mirroring beef’s trajectory, faced setbacks during and after the drought period. However, the industry projects that sheep meat production will see modest growth over the next few years, reaching 98.7 thousand tons in 2024, 99.9 thousand tons in 2025, and 100.7 thousand tons in 2026.
This increase in production is partly due to more sheep being slaughtered and fewer live animals being exported, meaning more sheep are available for processing within South Africa.
The industry is also looking to boost exports of sheep meat, which should help drive further growth in production
Hurdles to SA’s red meat boom
RMIS notes that domestic sheep and beef prices tend to reflect international trends but with a lag. “Domestic prices are slower to respond to international price changes and are generally lower than those of major international competitors,” RMIS highlighted.
Looking ahead, the report anticipates a further rise in beef and sheep meat prices through 2025. To capitalise on this growing export demand, RMIS underscores the importance of maintaining market access and minimising the incidence of animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
“Maintaining market access will be crucial for South Africa’s red meat industry. Additionally, minimising the incidence of animal diseases will be essential to achieving this goal,” the report stated.
As the industry gears up for 2025, stakeholders are urged to focus on biosecurity measures and strategic partnerships to ensure sustainable growth and competitiveness in the international market.
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