Indian buffalo meat exports: Issues of growth, instability, concentration

Abstract

Meat exports is an important product in the Indian livestock export basket, the predominant form being buffalo meat. An attempt has been done in this paper to analyse performance of buffalo meat export from India for the period 1996 to 2014. The compound growth rates, market concentration and instability indices of the Indian buffalo meat export were analyzed. The quantity and value of buffalo meat export from India increased by 13.61 and 22.48% respectively over the period, largely aided by the rapid growth of meat sector. The study concentrates on major markets viz., Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Philippines, Yemen, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, China, Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran), Jordan since more than 75% of the buffalo meat exports from India were to these markets. Results showed high and positive growth of Indian buffalo meat export in terms of quantity, value and unit value for the period of study. Slight degree of instability in Indian buffalo meat export was revealed using Coppock's instability index (CII). The study revealed that India's buffalo meat export was concentrated mainly to those countries, which is either less desirable (low growth and high risk) or least desirable (low growth and low risk) which is undesirable from point of economic growth of the country. There was evidence of market diversification of Indian buffalo meat export from traditional importing countries to other countries.