China could be a bigger beef export market for Australia than Indonesia, if live trade can be opened up with Australia.

The country's demand is rising with boxed beef imports growing from 400 tonnes in March 2012 to 1,200 tonnes the same period of 2013.

Steve Meerwald, from the WA (Western Australia) Beef Council, says live beef trade between the countries does come with its challenges.

"There are a whole range of issues that make that very complicated at the moment, and in fact it cannot be done, but if the Chinese are able to deal with those issues and liberate that part of the trade, then I think that the Chinese feeder and slaughter market could be one that equals or even surpasses what Indonesia was."

While China will not offer much this year, Meerwald, a former boss of live exporter company Wellards, hopes there will be opportunities through the next couple of seasons.

"Both from a commercial and a government point of view, from both the Australian and the Chinese side, there are lots of things happening that are leading towards the potential for that to be opened up," said Meerwald.