57 million heads of cattle: shocking figures about Azerbaijan's meat supplier

In recent years, Azerbaijan has been importing meat mainly from Mongolia and Ukraine.

According to BAKU.WS, although both countries are meat exporters, the structure and sources of their meat products differ significantly.

Mongolia is considered one of the world's largest livestock centers in terms of livestock population ratio. According to official statistics for 2024, the country has about 57.6 million head of livestock. Most of this population consists of sheep and goats. In 2024, they made up more than 80% of the total herd; the proportion of cattle and horses is significantly smaller, while the number of camels is relatively low.

Mongolia's export profile corresponds to this structure. Most of the exported meat is lamb and goat meat. In the first 8 months of 2025, the country exported approximately 18.1 thousand tons of meat and meat products. About 60-65% of the exported meat is specifically lamb and goat meat. This shows that Mongolia bases its competitiveness in export markets primarily on small ruminant meat.

Mongolia has huge herds of sheep and goats, making the country a reliable supplier of lamb and goat meat raised in steppe and dry climate conditions. Animal husbandry is traditionally conducted based on seasonal grazing; meat products come from animals raised on natural pastures, which can give special taste qualities and marketing characteristics to the supplied products. In recent years, due to severe "dzuds" (winter disasters) in Mongolia, millions of animals have died, leading to a reduction in the total livestock. Thus, Mongolia's export capabilities are sensitive to climatic risks.

Ukraine, unlike Mongolia, is not a country where sheep and goats predominate. Here, cattle industries (especially live cattle and beef) as well as poultry farming play an important role. Ukraine has traditional trade connections for both the export of live animals and for certain types of meat and meat products. According to 2025 reports, exports of live cattle and meat are directed to target markets (North Africa, the Middle East, and former CIS countries).

The Ukrainian industry operates in a more industrialized structure, with capabilities for exporting mass live cattle and some types of frozen meat. In 2025, there was an increase in the export of live cattle. The war, logistical problems, as well as the long-term reduction in livestock inventories have hit the country's production and export potential.