Saudi Arabia is the leading consumer of camel meat by volume, consuming significantly more than other countries like the UAE, driven by strong local demand and cultural significance, though East African nations like Kenya and Somalia also have high production and consumption. Camel meat is a traditional protein source in arid regions, popular in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, with significant consumption in countries such as Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea.
Consumption By Country
The country with the largest volume of camel meat consumption was Saudi Arabia (113K tonnes), comprising approx. 61% of total volume. Moreover, camel meat consumption in Saudi Arabia exceeded the figures recorded by the second-largest consumer, the United Arab Emirates (35K tonnes), threefold.
Camel meat is mainly eaten in certain regions, including Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, and other arid regions where alternative forms of protein may be limited or where camel meat has had a long cultural history.
As a novelty item, ground camel meat clocks in at less than US$20 per pound — substantially more than the US$4-and-change average price of ground beef in the United States but modest in comparison with other “exotics,” such as imported and domestic alligator loin, wild boar and python.
Somalia 🇸🇴 exported 3.7 million livestock in 2024, making it the largest exporter of livestock in Africa. Somalia is the world's largest camel population country. There are an estimated 13.9 million sheep in Somalia. There are an estimated 7.1 million camels in Somalia.
Somalia. Somalia has more camels than any other country—over 7 million! Camels are a big part of Somali life. People use them for milk, meat, and travel.
The most unhealthy meats are processed meats (bacon, hot dogs, salami, deli meats) due to high salt, fat, and preservatives (nitrates/nitrites) linked to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; followed by fatty red meats (beef, lamb, pork) and charred/burnt meats cooked at high temperatures, which form carcinogens; while even poultry becomes unhealthy with skin, heavy breading, and high sodium.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world (36%) followed by poultry (33%), beef (24%), and goats/sheep (5%).
Traditionally, it's braised, roasted, or even grilled, allowing the fat to render down and create melt-in-your-mouth bites. Some say it tastes like a cross between lamb and beef, while others compare it to a well-marbled steak. The fat from the hump is also used in traditional dishes, adding deep flavor and richness.
Camel meat is consumed in Australia. A multi-species abattoir at Caboolture in Queensland run by Meramist regularly processes feral camels, selling meat into Europe, the United States, and Japan. Samex Australian Meat Company in Peterborough, South Australia, also resumed processing feral camels in 2012.
One part which is absent in the camel is omasum. In camels, only 3 ruminant stomach chambers are present that is rumen, reticulum, and abomasum. For the temporary storage of food and water, the camel consists of diverticula or water pockets in rumen and reticulum.
If the animal is treated poorly or tortured while being slaughtered, the meat is haram. Forbidden food substances include alcohol, pork, frog, carrion, the meat of carnivores, and animals that died due to illness, injury, stunning, poisoning, or slaughtering not in the name of God.
The largest population of camels in the wild, estimated at more than 1 million individuals as of 2023, is found in neither Arabia nor Mongolia, the traditional homelands of genuinely wild camels, but instead in the Australian desert.
Based on a comparison of 165 countries in 2020, USA ranked the highest in cattle meat consumption with 12,535 kt followed by China and Brazil. On the other end of the scale was Belize with 1.00 kt, Seychelles with 1.00 kt and Liberia with 2.00 kt.
The top consumer of pork in 2021 continued to be China, taking into account its special economic regions Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China, whose consumptions were about 61, 52, and 37 kg/inhabitant respectively.
The most consumed meat in Australia is overwhelmingly chicken, making up nearly half of all meat eaten, with Australians consuming around 48-50kg per person annually due to its affordability, versatility, and convenience compared to beef, lamb, and pork, whose consumption has declined relatively.
Regarded as one of the finest beef types in the world, Angus beef has become synonymous with premium quality and, as such, it commands a high price on the market.
However, pig meat is not the most consumed meat in Africa, it ranks after poultry, beef, mutton and chevon respectively.
Among all animal meats pork is the filthiest diet to consume by human beings. Pig is the cradle of harmful germs. Scientific evidences prove that pig meat is least healthy having different harmful agents like Cholesterol and Fatty Acids, Bacteria and Toxins and a number of parasites.
Lentil is called “poor man's meat” due to its low price compared to meat, and can complement cereal-rich foods in providing a nourishing meal by balancing the amino acid and micronutrient requirements of the diet (Table 11.1).
Cardiologists generally advise avoiding processed meats, sugary drinks and sweets, and foods high in trans fats and sodium, like most fried foods and salty snacks, because they raise bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation, significantly increasing heart disease risk. Focusing on whole foods and limiting these culprits is key for heart health.
Camels were first introduced into Australia from the Canary Islands in 1840. There are now over one million feral camels in Australia and that population may double in size every nine years.
The average life expectancy of a camel is 40 to 50 years. A full-grown adult dromedary camel stands 6 feet at the shoulder and 7 feet at the hump. Camels can run at up to 40 mph in short bursts and sustain speeds of up to 25 mph. Camels weigh about 660 to 2,200 lbs.
Uluru Camel Tours is Australia's largest camel farm. Visitors are welcome to wander through the saddlery, visit the animal petting farm, and hear the stories and history behind some of Australia's bravest explorers, Afghan cameleers, ANZAC cameleers and their Aboriginal guides.