China extended until November 26 the decision on cuts to beef imports

Today, August 6, the Chinese government announced that it will extend until November 26 the decision on the safeguard measure it will apply to limit beef imports. Initially, the date for this decision was August. In turn, industry sources in China stated that the government’s decision would involve assigning a quota to each supplying country, considering the volumes imported from each in 2024.

The official statement reads: “In accordance with the provisions of the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguard Measures, on December 27, 2024, the Ministry of Commerce published Announcement No. 60 of 2024, deciding to initiate a safeguard investigation on beef imports.”

It adds that “in view of the complexity of the case, the Ministry of Commerce has decided to extend the investigation period until November 26, 2025.”

Import sector sources viewed this extension with relief, as it means that operations will run normally this year throughout China’s peak purchasing period in South America, which generally spans from September to mid-November. This additional volume will be available to meet the extra demand for Chinese New Year celebrations, between late January and early February.

In addition, industry sources said the government’s decision will not involve a global quota for exporters, as had been rumored a few weeks ago. Instead, a quota will be allocated to each country, considering the volumes shipped to China last year.