China is a major consumer of beef and this has resulted in growing import volume of beef into the country. According to China customs data, China’s beef imports have more than doubled from 1.04 million tonnes in 2018 to 2.69 million tonnes recorded last year. Last year alone, China imported nearly US$17.8 billion of beef representing a 42.2% increase from 2022.
China mainly imports beef from Latin American countries such as Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. Most of the imported beef were usually destined to the densely-populated Pearl River Delta region in south China and provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan in southwest China, and served at restaurants or bought by middle and upper income consumers in the 1st and 2nd tier cities.
Brazil is the top importer of beef to China contributing 42.4% or US$7.5 billion of China’s total beef imports. Major Brazilian suppliers include JBS S.A, one of the world’s leading protein suppliers.
Chinese suppliers have voiced their interest to import more beef in 2024 as local cuisines using beef, either in the form of toppings above rice, noodles or pasta or in hotpots and dumplings, are getting more popular among Chinese consumers. Consumption of beef steak and barbecued beef in western-style menus are also growing in popularity in the country.
Meanwhile, imported beef is also getting cheaper and with well-developed e-commerce, demand for imported beef is expected to grow rapidly.
