China produced 50.5 million tons of pork, beef, sheepmeat and poultry in the first half of 2026, up 4.3% year on year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Growth was driven mainly by poultry production, while beef and sheepmeat output declined.
Poultry production increased by 9.4% from the same period a year earlier and pork output rose by 3.3%. In contrast, beef production fell by 1.0% and sheepmeat output declined by 3.9%, reflecting diverging trends across the different proteins.
The figures were part of the first-half economic report, which also showed growth in agricultural production. The summer grain harvest reached 149.74 million tons, up 1.1% year on year, supported by higher yields despite a slight reduction in planted area.
On the macroeconomic front, China’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 5.3% year on year in the first half, while second-quarter growth reached 5.2%. The government highlighted the economy’s stability, although it acknowledged that challenges remain due to domestic demand and the international environment.
