China launches investigation into beef imports as local price of the meat trends downwards

China’s commerce ministry on Friday launched an investigation into imported beef at the request of representatives from its struggling domestic industry, it said.

The local price of beef in China has trended downwards in recent years, with analysts blaming oversupply and a lack of demand as the world’s second largest economy has slowed.

At the same time imports have surged, with China representing a hugely important market for countries such as Brazil, Argentina and Australia.

The application for an investigation from domestic associations said that a sharp increase in beef imports in recent years “has had a significant adverse impact on the domestic industry”, the commerce ministry said in a statement.

Beef imports in 2023 were 65 per cent higher than in 2019, it quoted the producers as saying.

The investigation takes effect from Friday and should take eight months, but “may be extended appropriately under special circumstances”, the announcement said.