China's September Meat Imports: Beef Soars While Lamb, Pork, and Poultry Decline

Beef

• Import Volume and Structure Analysis

In September 2025, China imported 316,000 tonnes of beef, marking a month-on-month increase of nearly 60,000 tonnes (23%) and a year-on-year rise of approximately 100,000 tonnes (45%). This volume set a new monthly import record. The import value reached US$1.74 billion, up 25% month-on-month and 69% year-on-year.

In the first three quarters, China imported 2.12 million tonnes of beef, a year-on-year increase of 20,000 tonnes (1% growth). The import value reached US$11.1 billion, up 11% year-on-year, with the average import price at US$5,225 per tonne, a 9.5% year-on-year increase.

Beef Import Structure in the First Three Quarters of 2025:

During this period, China's beef import volume increased by 1% year-on-year. Specifically, imports of frozen boneless beef rose by 1.6%, while imports of frozen bone-in beef and chilled beef decreased by 1.1% and 2% respectively. Compared to the same period last year, the overall volume of beef imports and the import volumes of various product categories showed relatively minor fluctuations, indicating a largely stable import structure.

• Import Price Analysis

In September 2025, the import price of beef rose to US$5,509 per tonne, marking a month-on-month increase of 1.8% and a year-on-year surge of nearly 17%. This represents the highest price since January 2023.

•  Import Country Analysis

During the first three quarters of 2025, China imported 2.12 million tonnes of beef from 20 countries. The top ten importing countries were Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Uruguay, New Zealand, Bolivia, the United States, Colombia, Russia, and Belarus. Imports from Brazil, Australia, Colombia, and Russia increased year-on-year by approximately 13%, 48%, 29-fold, and 16% respectively, while imports from other countries generally declined significantly. Imports from the United States fell below 55,000 tonnes, marking a year-on-year decrease of nearly 47% – the steepest decline among all sources.

Pork

• Import Volume and Structure Analysis

In September 2025, China imported 80,000 tonnes of pork, representing a month-on-month decrease of 2%. Year-on-year, imports fell by 23,400 tonnes – a decline of nearly 23% – with the contraction widening compared to the previous year. The value of pork imports in September was US$163 million, down 3.3% month-on-month and nearly 23% year-on-year.

In the first three quarters, China imported 788,000 tonnes of pork, a decrease of 11,000 tonnes (1.3%) year-on-year. The import value reached US$1.6 billion, an increase of 2.3% year-on-year, with the average import price at US$2,034 per tonne, up 3.6% year-on-year.

Pork Import Structure in the First Three Quarters of 2025:

During this period, China imported 788,000 tonnes of pork, a year-on-year decrease of 1.3%. Among these, imports of frozen bone-in pork forelegs, hind legs and cuts increased by nearly 12% to exceed 200,000 tonnes, raising their share to 25.5%. Imports of other frozen pork products decreased by nearly 5% year-on-year, with their proportion declining.

• Import Price Analysis

In September 2025, the import price for pork fell to US$2,034 per tonne, representing a month-on-month decline of 1.3% and a year-on-year increase of 0.1%, with the growth rate narrowing further.

•  Import Country Analysis

During the first three quarters of 2025, China imported 788,000 tonnes of pork from 17 countries. The top five importing countries by volume were Spain, Brazil, the Netherlands, Chile, and Canada. Among the top ten import sources, imports from Brazil, Chile, and the United States decreased by 33%, 3.9%, and 7.3% year-on-year respectively. Imports from Spain, the Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, and France increased year-on-year, with growth rates ranging from 2% to 8%. Imports from the United Kingdom and Russia saw significant year-on-year increases, rising by 21% and 130% respectively.

Pork Offal

• Import Volume and Structure Analysis

In September 2025, China's pork offal imports increased month-on-month to 92,000 tonnes, rising by 946 tonnes or 1%. However, the year-on-year decline widened to 14.5%. The import value for pork offal in September stood at US$190 million, down 2.6% month-on-month and 21.5% year-on-year.

In the first three quarters, China imported 854,000 tonnes of offal, down 1.6% year-on-year. Import value totalled US$1.8 billion, a 4.3% decrease, with the average import price falling 2.7% to US$2,108 per tonne.

• Import Price Analysis

In September 2025, the import price for pork offal stood at US$2,059 per tonne, marking a 3.6% month-on-month decline to its lowest point this year. The year-on-year decrease widened to 8.2%.

•  Import Country Analysis

During the first three quarters of 2025, China imported 854,000 tonnes of offal from 15 countries. The top five import sources were the United States, Spain, Canada, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Although total offal imports declined by 1.6% year-on-year, volumes from the United Kingdom, Russia, and Belgium surged significantly - rising by approximately 13%, 350%, and 82% respectively.

Mutton

• Import Volume and Structure Analysis

In September 2025, China's mutton imports decreased to 17,379 tonnes, representing a month-on-month reduction of 2,393 tonnes (12.1%) and a year-on-year decrease of 3,832 tonnes (18.1%). The import value for September stood at US$70.76 million, down 8.5% month-on-month but up 9.1% year-on-year.

September 2025's lamb import volume marked the lowest monthly figure since 2021.

During the first three quarters, China imported 276,000 tonnes of lamb, representing a year-on-year increase of 234 tonnes (0.1% growth). Import value reached US$1.06 billion, up 23.6%, with the average import price rising 23.5% to US$3,846 per tonne.

Lamb Import Structure in the First Three Quarters of 2025:

During this period, China imported 276,000 tonnes of lamb, representing a 0.1% year-on-year increase. Frozen mutton (including frozen bone-in mutton, frozen whole/half mutton carcasses, and frozen boneless mutton) accounted for 268,000 tonnes, a 0.7% year-on-year decrease, constituting 97% of total imports (compared to 98% in the same period last year).

Chilled lamb and goat meat imports were small in volume but showed significant year-on-year growth. During the period, China imported 314 tonnes of chilled lamb, a 43% increase; 1,118 tonnes of chilled mutton, a 120% increase; and 5,640 tonnes of goat meat, a 125% increase.

China imported 1,024 tonnes of frozen lamb during the first three quarters, a 61% decrease year-on-year.

• Import Price Analysis

In September 2025, the import price of mutton rose to US$4,071 per tonne, marking a 4.1% month-on-month increase and reaching its highest level since August 2023. This represented a year-on-year increase of nearly 33%.

•  Import Country Analysis

During the first three quarters of 2025, China imported 276,000 tonnes of mutton from six countries: New Zealand, Australia, Uruguay, Chile, Madagascar, and Argentina, representing a 0.1% year-on-year increase. Imports from Australia totalled 137,000 tonnes, up 4.6% year-on-year, while imports from New Zealand amounted to 136,600 tonnes, down 1.7% year-on-year.

Poultry Products

• Import Volume and Structure Analysis

In September 2025, China imported 21,500 tonnes of poultry products, representing a decrease of 12,900 tonnes (37%) month-on-month and a reduction of 46,300 tonnes (68%) year-on-year. This marked the lowest monthly import volume for poultry products in nearly a decade. The import value of poultry products in September was US$65.86 million, down 38% month-on-month and 70% year-on-year.

In the first three quarters, China imported 545,000 tonnes of poultry products, a decrease of 150,000 tonnes (21.7%) year-on-year. The import value reached US$1.64 billion, down 24.5% year-on-year.

Poultry Products Import Structure in the First Three Quarters of 2025:

During this period, China imported 545,000 tonnes of poultry products, down 21.7% year-on-year. Among these, imports of chicken by-products (chicken feet, wings, and other offal) totalled 477,000 tonnes, a 22% year-on-year decrease, accounting for 87.5% of the total (compared to 87.8% in the same period last year). Imports of turkey meat and duck meat were small in volume but showed significant growth.

During this period, turkey meat and offal imports reached 12,000 tonnes, rising nearly 11% year-on-year; duck meat and offal imports totalled 1,873 tonnes, surging nearly sevenfold year-on-year.

• Import Price Analysis

In September 2025:

(1) Frozen chicken feet imported at USD 3,361 per tonne, down 3.8% month-on-month and 12.3% year-on-year. 

(2) Frozen chicken wings were priced at US$2,943 per tonne, down 0.8% month-on-month and 6.4% year-on-year. Both frozen chicken feet and wings reached their lowest import prices since 2023 in September. 

(3) China imported no bone-in frozen chicken pieces during September.

•  Import Country Analysis

During the first three quarters of 2025, China imported poultry products from 12 countries. The top import sources, ranked by volume, were Brazil, Russia, Thailand, the United States, Belarus, Chile, Argentina, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Finland, France, and Panama. Compared to the same period last year, three new import sources emerged: Chile, Argentina, and Finland. Imports from Brazil decreased by 29% year-on-year, accounting for 53% of total imports. Imports from both the United States and Belarus fell by approximately 70%, each accounting for less than 3% of total imports. Imports from Russia increased by 22% year-on-year, accounting for 23% of total imports.