Stark impact of tariffs on US beef exports to China
Promotions body the US Meat Export Federation has reported “steep declines” in shipments of beef to China.
Across the board, in the first five months of this year, the US exported 508,293 tonnes of beef, with a value of more than $4.1 billion. These figures represent declines of 5% in volume and 3% in value.
Taking the figures for May in isolation, beef exports reached 97,266 tonnes in volume, with a value of $798.7 million. Compared to the figures for May 2024, these figures show a fall of 12% in volume and of 11.5% in value.
For that month, exports of beef to China were 1,400 tonnes. The value of these shipments was less than $15 million. US beef exports to China for that one month were down by 91% in volume and by 90% in value year on year.
In April and the first half of May, China’s tariff rate for imports of US beef was 147%. Following a temporarily easing on these tariff rates for 90 days, which the two countries announced on May 14, China’s rates were still 32% for US beef.
USMEF chief executive, Dan Halstrom, said: “The need for progress in the US-China trade negotiations is extremely urgent because tariffs could soar again on August 12. This deadline is already impacting exporters’ decisions about whether to continue producing for the Chinese market.”
There were some compensations in other markets. Beef exports to South Korea in May were the largest in more than two years.
