While the country is boiling over the consumption of beef citing religious sensibilities and communal tensions, here is news which depicts an ironic contradiction. According to a report by the US Department of Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS), India is the top exporter of beef around the world. Here are some quick facts:

1. The estimated number of cattle (oxen and the Indian humped variety of cows) and water buffalo (carabeef) in India in 2016 will be around 301.6 million.

Source: usda.gov

2. India produced 43 percent of the world’s buffalo meat in 2015, the highest of any nation with 37 percent from Uttar Pradesh alone.

3. The weight of beef and water buffalo estimated to be consumed in India will go up from 2.2 million tonnes in 2015 to 2.3 million tonnes 2016.

Source: Coastal Digest


4. The amount of water buffalo expected to be exported from India is expected to go up from 2.1 million in 2015 to 2.2 million in 2016 with Vietnam being the largest market.

5. 62 million cattle were artificially inseminated in 2015, which is three times the number the year before and adding 18 million to the livestock population.