China's November 2025 Meat Imports Plunge Across Key Categories

China's meat import performance in November 2025 reflected significant declines across major categories, alongside noticeable structural and price shifts. Beef, pork, pig offal, mutton, and poultry products all demonstrated varying levels of contraction, with several categories hitting multi-year lows, while select product segments and supplying countries showed resilience.

Beef Imports

• Import Volume and Value Trends

In November 2025, China imported 187 thousand tonnes of beef, down 94 thousand tonnes (33.4%) month-on-month and 74 thousand tonnes (28.3%) year-on-year. Import value reached USD 1.03 billion, falling 33.5% from October and 16.4% year-on-year. November represented the lowest monthly beef import volume in nearly 30 months since June 2023.

From January to November 2025, China imported 2.594 million tonnes of beef, down approximately 10 thousand tonnes (0.3%) year-on-year, with import value rising 10.4% to USD 13.68 billion. The average import price increased 10.8% to USD 5,275 per tonne.

• Import Structure and Pricing

Over the first eleven months of 2025, total beef imports declined 0.3% year-on-year. Frozen boneless beef rose 0.7% and accounted for 81% of total imports, while chilled beef fell around 3%, accounting for nearly 2.5%.

In November, the average beef import price dropped month-on-month to USD 5,497 per tonne but remained 16.5% higher year-on-year.

• Key Supplying Countries

From January to November, China imported 2.59 million tonnes of beef from 20 countries, down 0.3% year-on-year. The top suppliers were Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Uruguay, and New Zealand. Imports increased 12% from Brazil and 41% from Australia, while falling approximately 18% from Argentina, 16% from Uruguay, and 22% from New Zealand.

Since China approved Colombian frozen beef imports in November 2023, volumes remained low last year; however, November 2025 saw imports reach 1,623 tonnes, a sharp 207% year-on-year increase.

Pork Imports

• Import Volume, Value, and Structure

In November 2025, pork imports fell to 60,800 tonnes, down 14.6% month-on-month and 34% year-on-year, reaching the lowest level since 2019. Import value stood at USD 118 million, down 17.8% month-on-month and 40.3% year-on-year.

In the first eleven months of 2025, pork imports totalled 920 thousand tonnes, down 62 thousand tonnes (6.3%) year-on-year. Import value reached USD 1.86 billion, down 4.7%, while average price rose 1.7% to USD 2,027 per tonne.

During this period, total imports declined 6.3% year-on-year. Pork leg imports increased 8.3%, while imports of other frozen cuts and pork fat dropped approximately 10% and 44%, respectively, indicating relatively stable demand for pork leg.

• Prices and Origins

In November, pork import prices declined to USD 1,942 per tonne, down 3.8% month-on-month and nearly 9% year-on-year.

• Key Supplying Countries

From January to November, China imported 920 thousand tonnes of pork from 17 countries, down 6.3% year-on-year. The top import sources were Spain, Brazil, Chile, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Imports from several European countries increased, while volumes from Brazil, Chile, Canada, and the United States declined.

Pig Offal Imports

• Volume, Value, and Structure

In November 2025, pig offal imports rose slightly to 85,600 tonnes, up 1.2% month-on-month. After three consecutive months of year-on-year declines from August to October, November registered a marginal rebound. Import value reached USD 176 million, down 3% month-on-month and 12.4% year-on-year.

From January to November, offal imports reached 1.024 million tonnes, down 2.2% year-on-year. Import value was USD 2.158 billion, down 5.9%, with the average price falling 3.9% to USD 2,107 per tonne.

• Prices and Supply Markets

In November, pig offal import prices dropped to USD 2,059 per tonne, down 4.2% month-on-month and 12.4% year-on-year.

• Key Supplying Countries

Across the first eleven months, China imported 1.024 million tonnes of pig offal from 15 countries, representing a 2.2% year-on-year decline. The United States, Spain, Canada, Denmark, and the Netherlands led imports. Only Denmark recorded growth of 0.8%, while the other four countries declined.

Mutton Imports

• Import Performance and Structure

In November 2025, mutton imports rose to 20,068 tonnes, up 15% month-on-month but down nearly 32% year-on-year.

From January to November, China imported 314 thousand tonnes of mutton, down around 16 thousand tonnes (4.8%) year-on-year. Import value increased 15.9% to USD 1.22 billion, with the average price rising 21.8% to USD 3,882 per tonne.

During this period, chilled fresh mutton imports surged nearly 200% year-on-year to 1,991 tonnes, accounting for 0.6% of total imports compared with 0.2% last year.

• Prices and Sources

In November, mutton import prices increased to USD 4,237 per tonne, up 4.1% month-on-month and 13.2% year-on-year, hitting the highest level in nearly 28 months since August 2023.

• Key Supplying Countries

Over the first eleven months, China imported 314 thousand tonnes of mutton from six countries: Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Chile, Madagascar, and Argentina, down 4.8% year-on-year. New Zealand supplied 152 thousand tonnes, down 1.6% year-on-year and accounting for 48.5%.

Poultry Product Imports

• Import Volume, Value, and Structure

In November 2025, poultry imports rose to 21,492 tonnes, up 8.9% month-on-month but down 76% year-on-year.

From January to November, poultry imports totalled 586 thousand tonnes, down nearly 270 thousand tonnes (31.5%) year-on-year, with import value falling 33.8% to USD 1.769 billion.

During this period, frozen chicken feet imports reached 280 thousand tonnes (down 31.3%, 48% share), frozen chicken wings reached 187 thousand tonnes (down 29.3%, 32% share), and bone-in frozen chicken pieces fell to 53 thousand tonnes (down 37.5%, with market share slipping to 9%).

• Prices and Market Dynamics

In November:

• Frozen chicken feet averaged USD 3,170 per tonne, down 6.1% month-on-month and 14.9% year-on-year.

• Frozen chicken wings averaged USD 3,276 per tonne, down 1.1% month-on-month but up 5.4% year-on-year.

• No frozen bone-in chicken imports were recorded in September, October, or November.

Thailand's reduced market share — falling from 22% to 15% for frozen chicken feet and from 37% to 30% for chicken wings — lowered the overall average price due to Thailand's higher pricing.

• Import Sources

From January to November, China imported poultry products from twelve countries. Key suppliers were Brazil, Russia, Thailand, the United States, Belarus, Chile, Argentina, Uzbekistan, Finland, Kyrgyzstan, France, and Panama. Compared with last year, Chile, Argentina, and Finland became new suppliers. Imports from Brazil fell 35%, accounting for 52% of total imports. Imports from the United States and Belarus dropped about 70%, each below 3% market share. Imports from Russia rose 15%, accounting for nearly 24%.

Overall, China's November data indicates continued contraction in several meat import categories, strong price fluctuations, and shifting supplier dynamics, underscoring evolving market demand and structural adjustments in the country's meat import landscape.