Chinese beef imports up 173%
China’s total beef imports grew 173% year-on-year in August to 3,737 tonnes.
New Zealand was the only country to explain a decline in beef exports to China, with volumes down 21%.
Uruguayan beef exports to China increased by 27% to 777 tonnes in August, while Australian exports also grew 27% to 620 tonnes. Brazilian beef exports to China were 22 times higher, reaching a record volume of 2,203 tonnes.
According to reports, competitive pricing has been the main driver of increased sales of beef from South America to China in recent months.
During the first eight months of the year, Uruguay continued to be the largest exporter of beef to China, with a 39% market share (5,134 tonnes). The second-largest was Brazil (27%), followed by Australia (20%) and New Zealand (13%).
