PUBLISHER: Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence | PRODUCT CODE: 1627691
PUBLISHER: Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence | PRODUCT CODE: 1627691
The alfalfa hay market is estimated to be valued at US$18.585 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach US$23.423 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 4.74%.
A key driver for the alfalfa hay market is the increasing demand for high-quality forage in livestock industries, particularly in dairy and meat production, where alfalfa's high protein and nutrient content support optimal animal health and productivity. Increasing global livestock populations and a growing focus on efficient animal nutrition boost demand.
The global agriculture industry is tasked with ensuring food security more than ever. The world population is expected to grow by 2.3 billion people between 2009 and 2050. Population growth is projected to be primarily driven by developments in developing nations, with sub-Saharan Africa expected to see the fastest growth rate at +114%. In contrast, East and South East Asia are anticipated to experience the slowest growth at +13%. Further, urban areas are estimated to account for 70% of the global population in 2050, up from 49% at present.
Additionally, the per capita income in 2050 is projected to be a multiple of current levels. As the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations noted, feeding a population of 9.1 billion people in 2050 would require raising overall food production by some 70% between 2005/07 and 2050.
The projected growth in demand for meat, dairy, fish, and aquaculture products will drive the expansion of livestock farming, which currently accounts for 30% of agricultural GDP in the developing world. The increased purchasing power in developing nations is expected to result in a change in dietary preferences, which would be increasingly oriented towards animal-source foods and away from staple foods of vegetal origin.
Moreover, of the projected global growth, overall meat consumption is expected to account for 82% of it. The APAC region, led by China and the LACs, with Brazil at the forefront, is projected to account for most of the expansion, surpassing the growth in OECD countries over the next decade. Capacity building, improved agriculture, and increasing integration of modernized and intensive production technologies are expected to catalyze the growth in these countries.
To a certain extent, the poultry sector is a testimony to the aforesaid in Brazil, China, and India, as well as with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. Further, it should be noted that livestock is a source of organic fertilizer for approximately half of the world's farmers, enabling them to respond to the growing demand for organically produced food products.
The APAC region is poised to hold a substantial share of the alfalfa hay market, owing to the rising meat exports. For instance, according to the China International Import Expo Bureau, National Exhibition and Convention Centre (Shanghai), China has stepped up efforts on diversifying beef imports in 2024, with more exporters in countries such as Australia and Russia being approved to sell beef to China. Chinese observers said that this will help reduce market fluctuations due to over-reliance on any single market while providing more opportunities for other countries through high-level opening-up.
Furthermore, increasing milk production is anticipated to positively influence market growth in the coming years. For instance, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States (FAO), global milk production has increased by more than 77% in the last three decades. From 524 million tonnes in 1992, it had risen to 930 million tonnes in 2022. India is the world's largest milk-producing country, accounting for around 22% of world production, followed by the United States of America, Pakistan, China, and Brazil.
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