October 4, 2010

Brazil chalks up record August beef sales to China

Beef imports into China from Brazil during August jumped by more than 22 times compared with a year earlier, to a record volume of 2,203 tonnes swt.

Total beef imports from all countries into China for the month surged 173% on-year, to reach 3,737 tonnes swt.

New Zealand was the only supplier to register a fall in the volumes imported by China, decreasing 21% to 137 tonnes swt.

Beef imports from Uruguay, now the second largest beef supplier bounced 27% during August on 12 months earlier, to 777 tonnes swt. Similarly, beef imported from Australia also increased by 27% to 620 tonnes swt.

Competitive prices were the key driver for a surge in South American beef into China during recent months, as local demand from low-end foodservice expands as a result of lower domestic supplies.

Over the calendar year to August, Uruguay remained China's largest beef import supplier, holding a 39% market share (5,134 tonnes swt), followed by Brazil (27%), Australia (20%) and New Zealand (13%).

In the chilled beef import market, Australia continued to take the lead, accounting for 97% of the imported chilled market for the first eight months of 2010.