Some segments of the national livestock sector are beginning to show signs of recovery, with growth in younger animal stocks and increased poultry production capacity, but domestic production remains far below consumption levels. Angola’s livestock industry is still unable to meet internal demand despite the size of the country’s existing animal population.
Figures show that Angola continues to maintain millions of heads of cattle distributed among bovines, goats, pigs, sheep and poultry, but recent developments in the sector reveal contradictory signs: while some younger categories have grown, the main livestock groups intended for immediate meat production have suffered significant declines.
The result is an increasing dependence on imports of animal protein. In total, Angola spent more than USD 600 million in 2025 on imports of beef, pork and chicken, at a time when foreign currency reserves remain under pressure due to declining oil revenues. In the cattle segment, the total herd fell from 3.52 million to 3.18 million head between July 2024 and June 2025, a reduction of 9.7%.
The decline was even more pronounced in the categories essential for reproduction and production: the number of cows dropped by 15.1%, from 1.66 million to 1.41 million head, while oxen and bulls decreased by 14.3%. At the same time, data show growth in some younger categories, such as young steers (+6.2%), calves (+6.6%) and heifers (+11.5%), signalling attempts to replenish the herd. However, these increases do not offset the overall loss of livestock in a country where annual beef consumption is estimated at around 100,000 tonnes, according to international estimates.
The insufficiency of domestic production means Angola remains dependent on imports of frozen beef, particularly from Brazil, the United States, Portugal and South Africa. Imported meat dominates a large share of supermarkets and the restaurant sector in major cities, especially in Luanda.
However, it is in the poultry sector that the country’s food vulnerability becomes most evident. Official data indicate that Angola imported around 228,000 tonnes of chicken in 2025, at a value exceeding USD 312 million. This means the country spends approximately USD 850,000 per day solely on purchasing chicken abroad. At the same time, poultry stock data show relative domestic stability. The total number of birds fell by only 2.4%, while broiler chickens increased by 5.3%, demonstrating that this remains the segment with the greatest capacity to respond quickly to market demand.
Sector specialists estimate that between 70% and 80% of national chicken consumption still depends on imports. Angola remains excessively dependent on foreign supply due to high production costs. Animal feed remains expensive because it depends on imported corn and soybeans, energy costs are high, and the logistics chain remains deficient.
In many cases, producing locally continues to be more expensive than importing. In the pig sector, figures reveal an even more concerning situation. The stock fell by 34%, from 1.3 million to only 857,000 animals.
Boars declined by almost 48%, while piglets fell by around 40%, indicators that reveal a severe deterioration in the sector’s reproductive capacity. In the goat sector, one of the foundations of the rural economy in many southern provinces, the herd declined from 4.37 million to 3.74 million head (-14.3%).
Male goats and kids decreased by 27.5%, while female goats and young females fell by 9.1%. This is a worrying reduction in a region frequently affected by drought, pasture degradation and food insecurity.
Sheep, meanwhile, showed greater stability, with an overall reduction of only 3.4%, although some specific categories grew, such as rams and lambs (+21.6%).
Conclusion
The structural problem has remained virtually unchanged for decades. Most producers continue to operate under extensive farming systems, with low productivity, limited veterinary assistance, difficulties accessing credit, lack of water, weak storage capacity and an almost non-existent integrated industrial chain for processing and distribution. In addition, the formal market continues to be heavily dominated by imported meat, often cheaper than domestic production, a direct consequence of internal logistics costs, high energy prices and the low production scale of local farms.
The Executive recently announced gradual restrictions on import licences for beef, pork and poultry in an attempt to stimulate domestic production. However, several specialists warn that limiting imports without first resolving the sector’s structural problems could simply lead to shortages and higher prices.
Source: Expansão
