August 7, 2003

 

 

China's Beef Import & Export Statistics, Jan-May 2003

Import and Export of Beef Products

 

1. Rise in value of exports despite lower volume year-on-year.

 

China exported 9,200 tons of beef products during the first five months of 2003, valued at US$18,734,700. Compared to the same period last year, the volume exported was 4.11% lower. However, the value of the exports rose by 16.96%, mainly due to higher exports of processed beef products.

 

Net import value of beef products rose by US$4,416,900 year-on-year to US$5,759,100.

 

Exports of live cattle, both in terms of numbers and value, continued with its decline.

 

Comprising 66.3% of the total, exports of processed beef products rose strongly by 27.14% to 6,100 tons. The export value of the processed beef products soared 54.93% to US$13,217,400. 

 

Increase in exports of processed beef products were mainly to markets in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Russia. These markets accounted for 5,700 tons or 93.39% of total exports of processed beef products. In particular, very strong growth was reported in exports to Japan (1.3 times) and Russia (6.07 times). 

Chilled beef exports, comprising 33.38% of total beef export, fell by 36.02% to 3,100 tons due to sharp declines in exports to its main markets, Hong Kong and Russia. These two markets accounted for 2,900 tons, or 96.08% of total chilled beef exports.

 

The top ten beef-exporting provinces were: Guangdong, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Tianjin, Hunan, Liaoning, Guizhou, Beijing and Jilin. 

 

Beef imports totaled 22,400 tons, valued at US$24,493,800, showing year-on-year increases of 2.38% and 41.09% respectively.

 

Import of chilled beef, amounting to 4,600 tons (comprising 20.52% of total volume of China's beef import), or US$6,027,800 (comprising 24.61% of total value of China's beef import), constituted the bulk of the increase in China's beef import this year.  Compared to the same period of 2002, this year's import of chilled fresh beef registered a 43.34% increase in trade volume, and a 64.4% increase in import value.

 

The net increase of US$891,000 in China's import of chilled fresh beef during the first five months of this year has caused an overall trade deficit in China's import/export trade of beef, unlike the first five months of 2002, which showed an overall trade surplus.

 

Most of the increase in China's beef import came from Australia, amounting to a total of 6,000 tons, or 26.6% of its total beef import.  On the other hand, beef import from the US fell by 14.46%.

China's top six beef importing provinces/regions are: Guangdong, Hebei, Lioaning, Shangdong, Shanghai and Tianjin, which together, are responsible for a total worth of US$23,958,000, or 97.81%, of China's total beef import for the first five months of this year.  Compared to the same period last year, only Shandong province showed a drop of 11.15% in its beef import this year.  The rest of the top six provinces/cities reported significant increases, especially Hebei province and Shanghai, which registered an increase of 1.02 and 1.48 times respectively.  

 

2. Decline In China's Export of Live Cattle, Increase Seen In Import     

During the first five months of 2003, China exported a total of 19,900 heads of live cattle (including studs), amounting to a total of US$11,973,100 in export earnings.  Compared to the same period of 2002, the figures showed a drop of 15.57% and 11.3% respectively.  The decrease in China's export of live cattle was caused mainly by the fall in export to Hong Kong and Macau.  Of these, Hong Kong alone accounted for 17,800 heads, or 89.16%, of China's total export of live cattle, registering a year-on-year decrease of 15.57%.

 

China's top ten cattle exporting provinces/regions are: Hebei, Guangdong, Henan, Shangdong, Shaanxi, Hubei, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi and Jilin.  Together, they reaped a total of US$10,997,800, or 91.85%, of China's total live cattle export earnings for the first five months of this year.  These figures showed a year-on-year decrease of 11.36%.

 

Out of a total of 14,300 heads of live cattle imported during the first five months of this year, the bulk of which were studs, 11,700 heads, or 81.8%, were from Australia.  The figures showed an 18 fold year-on-year increase.

 

China's major live cattle importing provinces/regions are: Beijing, Heilongjiang, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Henan and Liaoning.  Together, they are responsible for 95.43%, or US$23,678,000 worth of China's total import of live cattle.