News
U.S. beef exports to China plummet 94% amid trade disruptions; global demand shifts
Exports of U.S. beef continue to run below year-ago levels.
Josh Maples, an ag economist with Mississippi State University, says one of the big stories is China. “China had become one of our larger beef export destinations,” he says.
But he tells Brownfield the shift in demand has been catastrophic. “Exports to China were down about 94% from where we were a year ago,” he says. “It went from being one of the top destinations, and now it’s just in July of this year, 1% of our beef exports went to China.”
Maples says ongoing trade issues between the two countries are playing a big role in the decline. China has failed to renew registrations for the vast majority of U.S. beef and cold storage facilities, most of which expired in March. Since June, China has also suspended access to 11 U.S. beef facilities.
However, U.S. beef continues to see strong demand from other countries like Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and Canada.
John Herath with the U.S. Meat Export Federation says the trade disruption with China has created additional opportunities for U.S. beef in South Korea. “Our staff, with China going out of the market, has been able to move a lot more short plate here into Korea since you don’t have that competition from China right now,” he says.
Exports of U.S. beef through July are running 8 percent below last year in volume and are down 7.5 percent in value.
Find other outlets for American products and stop dwelling on feeding a country that has threatened us and steals our intellectual property.