Access defining China’s imported beef market

China has defended its newfound mantle as the world’s largest imported beef market this year. A strong economic rebound after initial COVID-19 disruption and a substantial meat shortage due to African Swine Fever (ASF) have bolstered China’s beef imports over the last year, with this momentum continuing in recent months. While China pork prices have declined considerably since the Lunar New Year, suggesting pork supplies have rebound, the sheer magnitude of sow herd liquidation and sporadic recurrences of ASF suggest this may be short-lived. Nevertheless, cooling pork prices have yet to drag beef prices down and beef imports have continued to expand. Over the past decade, China has continued to open its beef market to an ever-growing list of suppliers – most of the beef heavyweights have enjoyed expanding trade into the market. Over the year-to-May period, China beef imports increased 18% year-on-year, with all top 10 suppliers (except Australia) recording double-digit growth. ...