The era of rapid growth in China’s beef imports has came to an end, with a slight reduction in volume imported for the first half of 2025.
Data collected by Chinese customs and provided by Bord Bia shows that in the first six months of this year, China imported 1.3m tonnes of beef compared with over 1.4m tonnes in the same period last year.
However, imports of both sheepmeat and pigmeat increased.
Sheepmeat volumes increased from 203,375t in the first half of last year to 213,032t in the same period this year.
Pigmeat imports increased from 504,408t between January and June 2024 to 530,566t in the first six months of this year.
Beef imports
Figure 1 shows that Brazil continues as the main supplier of China’s beef imports, accounting for 605,000t or just under half of all the beef imported in the first half of the year.
Despite importing 90,000t less so far this year compared with last year, Argentina remains the second-largest supplier on 214,000t.
Beef imports from the US slumped during May and June because of the high tariffs currently on trade between the US and China. Volume is down to 51,000t compared with 69,000t in the first half of last year.
Australia is the only country that has supplied more beef so far in 2025 than it did in 2024, with volume up from 119,000t to 162,000t.
Sheepmeat imports increase
China’s imports of sheepmeat increased year on year. In the first six months of 2025, almost 10,000t more sheepmeat was imported compared with the same period in 2024.
International trade in sheepmeat is dominated by Australia and New Zealand and, as Figure 2 shows, between them they supply almost 99% of all China’s imports.
New Zealand supplied 108,482t, while Australia contributed 102,403t, with Chile and Uruguay supplying most of the rest.
More pigmeat from Ireland
The only meat currently being imported from Ireland by China is pigmeat. As Figure 3 shows, in the first six months of the year, the total from Ireland was 16,505t, making us the 10th-largest supplier. This was up from 13,110t in the same period last year.
Spain is now clearly the largest supplier on 152,200t and while Brazil remains in second place, it is down over 40,000t compared with last year on 93,579t.
China is a major player in the global meat trade and the largest importer in each category.
It is particularly relevant in beef, importing twice as much as the second-largest importer the US.
Government have been investigating the impact imports have had on domestic production and it is believed that import quotas are being considered.
While Ireland currently has no interest in beef or sheep exports to China, any disruption in China’s demand could easily have a knock-on effect, with more beef and indeed lamb being exported to the UK and EU.
That will always be a risk for Irish farmers, irrespective of whether we are directly exporting to China or not.
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The era of rapid growth in China’s beef imports has came to an end, with a slight reduction in volume imported for the first half of 2025.
Data collected by Chinese customs and provided by Bord Bia shows that in the first six months of this year, China imported 1.3m tonnes of beef compared with over 1.4m tonnes in the same period last year.
However, imports of both sheepmeat and pigmeat increased.
Sheepmeat volumes increased from 203,375t in the first half of last year to 213,032t in the same period this year.
Pigmeat imports increased from 504,408t between January and June 2024 to 530,566t in the first six months of this year.
Beef imports
Figure 1 shows that Brazil continues as the main supplier of China’s beef imports, accounting for 605,000t or just under half of all the beef imported in the first half of the year.
Despite importing 90,000t less so far this year compared with last year, Argentina remains the second-largest supplier on 214,000t.
Beef imports from the US slumped during May and June because of the high tariffs currently on trade between the US and China. Volume is down to 51,000t compared with 69,000t in the first half of last year.
Australia is the only country that has supplied more beef so far in 2025 than it did in 2024, with volume up from 119,000t to 162,000t.
Sheepmeat imports increase
China’s imports of sheepmeat increased year on year. In the first six months of 2025, almost 10,000t more sheepmeat was imported compared with the same period in 2024.
International trade in sheepmeat is dominated by Australia and New Zealand and, as Figure 2 shows, between them they supply almost 99% of all China’s imports.
New Zealand supplied 108,482t, while Australia contributed 102,403t, with Chile and Uruguay supplying most of the rest.
More pigmeat from Ireland
The only meat currently being imported from Ireland by China is pigmeat. As Figure 3 shows, in the first six months of the year, the total from Ireland was 16,505t, making us the 10th-largest supplier. This was up from 13,110t in the same period last year.
Spain is now clearly the largest supplier on 152,200t and while Brazil remains in second place, it is down over 40,000t compared with last year on 93,579t.
China is a major player in the global meat trade and the largest importer in each category.
It is particularly relevant in beef, importing twice as much as the second-largest importer the US.
Government have been investigating the impact imports have had on domestic production and it is believed that import quotas are being considered.
While Ireland currently has no interest in beef or sheep exports to China, any disruption in China’s demand could easily have a knock-on effect, with more beef and indeed lamb being exported to the UK and EU.
That will always be a risk for Irish farmers, irrespective of whether we are directly exporting to China or not.
Read more
View from China: a visit to China’s biggest farm
China tariffs hit US exports hard in May
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