China's beef imports from Australia recover

China's beef imports from Australia in October reached its highest monthly volume since 2004, at 683 tonnes slaughterweight (swt), as demand for beef rises.

Imports over the calendar year to October totaled 2,487 tonnes swt, 169 percent higher than last year. However, the total remain 18 percent below 2004 figures.

China Bureau Statistics reported Australia as the main importer of beef during the 10 months to October, at 73 percent.

Imports from Australia recovered 125 percent during the period to 1,816 tonnes swt, including a 76 percent rise, which is 325 tonnes, in chilled shipments and a 140-percent jump in frozen volume.

Beef imports from Brazil accounted for 13 percent, with the volume reaching 329 tonnes swt during the first 10 months of 2007.

Imports from New Zealand only accounts for 6 percent to the total over the first 10 months of 2007.

Meanwhile, beef imports from Uruguay also climbed 95 percent during the period, to 201 tonnes swt, representing 8 percent of the total imports into China.