Beini Chen, Marketing Advisor Shanghai Office, Bord Bia – Irish Food Board

Chinese beef imports incorporates mainly low cost frozen beef imports and mid to high end product. The imported beef for lower cost frozen cuts are mainly from South America, while the mid to high-end beef products are imported principally from Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Australia, Uruguay and Brazil are the among the main beef producers in the world. According to the latest data, while Uruguayan’s beef exported to China still maintains a leading position, beef from Australia and Brazilian continues to have a really strong performance in China.

Australia

In 2015, beef imports from Australia reached over 148,000 tonnes, just 6,000 less than the amount in 2013 - a record year for Australian beef exports to China. In 2015 Australian beef imports increased by 19%, compared to 2014 levels. Based on the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, the tariff for beef imported from Australia will decrease from 12% in 2015 to 9.6% in 2016 which will strengthen the mid and high-end beef imports from Australia.

Table 1. The Schedule for Tariff Reductions on the Live Animals, Beef, Sheep Meat and Offal imports

Uruguay

China replaced Russia as the key market for Uruguay beef exports in 2014. In 2015, Uruguay’s beef exports to China were over 155,000 tonnes including offal and replaced Australia as the largest beef exporter to China. The highest monthly quantity of beef exported to China from Uruguay was 13,000 tonnes in June 2015.

Brazil

Brazil is one of the largest beef exporters in the world and China is its top beef trading partner since China ended the embargo on Brazilian beef imports in June 2015. From June to December 2015, the beef imported from Brazil reached over 97,000 tonnes. In December 2015 alone, beef imported from Brazil reached 16,000 tonnes. The data showed that Brazil has surpassed Australia and become the biggest monthly beef exporter in China.

For more information please contact beini.chen@ucdconnect.ie