China is kicking off 2026 with a three-year import quota for beef shipments from major trading partners, in a move aimed at protecting its struggling domestic industry over the coming years.
Effective Thursday, a 55 per cent tariff will be levied on over-quota beef from countries including Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Uruguay, New Zealand and the United States, the Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday.
“The objective of these safeguard measures on imported beef is to help the domestic industry overcome its current difficulties, rather than to restrict normal trade,” a ministry statement said.
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It added that the measures were “moderate” in scope, offering room for the domestic industry to recover while also “accommodating the reasonable demands of trading partners and minimising disruption to normal trade”.
Import quotas will vary by country and increase marginally annually over the three-year period.
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For 2026, the quota for Brazil – China’s top beef supplier – was set at 1.1 million tonnes, while Australia and the US have been allocated 205,000 tonnes and 164,000 tonnes, respectively.