Prospects ‘brightening’ for US beef exports to China
Figures released by the US Department of Agriculture and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) show that the US exported 365,138 tonnes of beef in the first four months of this year.
Revenues from these shipments reached just over $3.1 billion.
These totals represent falls of 11% in volume and of 5% in value compared to the same months in 2025.
USMEF said these declines reflected “a near-total lockout” for US beef exports to China. It calculated that excluding China, the January-April figures showed growth of 0.3%.
It added: “Prospects are brightening for US beef’s return to the China market.” USMEF chief executive, Dan Halstrom, explained: “While we were thrilled to see China renew US beef plant registrations following the summit meeting between President Trump and President Xi [in May], additional obstacles must also be addressed before US beef’s presence in China rebounds.”
