According to a presentation at the international meat trade show in Germany (IFFA), worldwide demand for sheep and goat meat is on the rise due to a combination of increasing per capita incomes and changing taste preferences.

According to David Jones, European regional manager for Meat & Livestock Australia, the value of beef trade has declined in the last year, while the value of sheep meat trade is up due to higher world demand for sheep meat and limited supply from Australia and New Zealand. In fact, the only major producers of lamb are Australia, New Zealand, China, and Brazil.

In Australia, lamb production is forecast to grow by 2% this year and 13% in the next five years. By the year 2020, lamb production is anticipated to double in Australia, though mutton production is predicted to drop in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.

The primary factors driving market growth of lamb worldwide include rising income and population combined with a preference for lamb as a protein. In fact in the Middle East, sheep meat is popular since it meets religious requirements and consumers have a limited amount of wealth.