After stagnating in April (-0.3%), China imported approximately 207,000 tons of beef in May, valued at US$ 1.338 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.4% in volume, according to GACC data released by OIG+X. Imports in the same month last year totaled about 195,000 tons.
As a result, China imported 1.28 million tons of beef during the first five months of the year, up 18.4% year-on-year, with the value of imports rising 35% to US$ 7.485 billion.
China established a beef import quota system totaling 2.688 million tons for the 2026 calendar year, of which 48% has already been utilized. Australia exhausted its 205,000-ton quota this week, while Brazil is expected to do the same with its 1.106 million-ton allocation in the near future.
As for pork and pork offal, China imported approximately 170,000 tons in May, down 14% from the same month last year. For the January-May period, import volumes declined 15%.
Sheepmeat imports totaled 25,338 tons in May, a decrease of 28% compared to the same month of the previous year.
Meanwhile, poultry imports reached 31,818 tons in May, increasing 7% year-on-year in volume compared to May 2025.
