TOKYO -- Fatter prices for all types of meat may be on the cards as religious and health concerns threaten to curtail supply from the world's top beef exporting countries and leading importer China seeks to satisfy its appetite with other sources.
India exported the most beef in 2016, sending 1.76 million tons abroad, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a figure that equates to 19% globally. The bulk of India's total comes from buffalo meat, which sells for around half the price of ordinary beef. And though roughly half of these Indian exports go to Vietnam, much of that meat is forwarded to China, the top beef consumer worldwide.
