Drought in Russia: Grain region particularly affected
In Russia, the main region for grain cultivation has been experiencing dry conditions for weeks. This is likely to result in lower yields and poorer quality than previously expected.
In the current year, the quantities of cattle and beef exported from the EU have decreased overall.
From January to February of this year, significantly less beef and live cattle have been exported from the European Union compared to the same period last year. The current decrease is 4% compared to the 2024 period. While almost a third is exported as live cattle, the larger portion consists of fresh, chilled, and frozen beef.
Primarily to the UK
Among the destination countries, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Algeria rank highest. The exports to the United Kingdom and Algeria mainly consist of beef and veal, while Israel imports larger quantities of live cattle.
The cattle and beef exports from the main EU producing countries weakened noticeably in early 2025.
Despite the largest decrease, Ireland remains number 1
The largest cattle exporters in Europe were Ireland followed by Poland and Spain, with Ireland maintaining the leading position with a market share of 30%, despite the decreased exports. German exports also declined, primarily due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in January and the subsequent delivery restrictions. Due to the declining cattle population in the EU, the quantities of exported cattle and beef are expected to continue to decrease this year.