Goats - Sheep constitute a very important species of livestock in India, mainly on account of their short generation intervals, higher rates of prolificacy, and the ease with which the goats as also their products can be marketed. They are considered to be very important for their contribution to the development of rural zones and people.
Areas of Production:
Sheep population (% share): Telangana (25.7%), Andhra Pradesh (23.7%), Karnataka (14.9%) Rajasthan (10.6%) Tamil Nadu (6.1%).
Goat population (% share): Rajasthan (14.0%), West Bengal (10.9%), Uttar Pradesh (9.7%), Bihar (8.6%), Madhya Pradesh (7.5%) (Source: 20th Livestock Census-2019, DAHD))
India Facts and Figures:
India has exported Sheep & Goat meat to the world during the year 2023-24 as is in below table. (Source: DGCIS)
| Export Volume FY24 (MT) | Exported in FY24 (USD Mil) | |
| Sheep & Goat Meat | 10829.00 | 77.68 |
Major Export Destinations (2023-24): United Arab EMTs, Qatar, Kuwait, Maldives, and Bahrain. (Source: DGCIS).