China's beef import quotas have begun to bite now that Brazil--its largest supplier--has filled its "safeguard" quota. Additional imports beyond the quota are subject to an additional 55% tariff, according to China's beef safeguard adopted in January 2026. China's beef output has been slow to rebound--production in the first three quarters of 2026 was down year-over-year. Chinese beef prices are up. In September 2026, China's beef imports totaled 143,000 metric tons, down from 316,000 metric tons a year earlier. China's cumulative beef imports for the first nine months of 2026 total 2.1 million metric tons, down 26,000 metric tons year-over-year. China customs data. Customs data show that Brazil's imports hit their import quota in August, but China announced officially that Brazil hit its quota in September. Australian imports had hit their quota in June. Imports from both countries continued at a slower pace after their quotas filled. Brazil supplied...
Retired USDA economist Fred Gale peers through the "dim sums" of puzzling data to provide insight about China's agricultural markets in bite-size pieces like Chinese "dim sum" snacks. See the Archive and Labels for posts on various topics going back to 2008.