China extends beef import probe to 26th November
China extends beef import probe to 26th November, easing near-term risk for exporters
6 August 2025 — China | Beijing has extended its investigation into beef imports by three months to 26 November, giving global suppliers a short reprieve from potential trade curbs while China tries to stabilise an oversupplied domestic market. Officials said the inquiry does not target any single country.
Why it matters
Possible measures (such as quotas) would hit key shippers Argentina, Australia and Brazil. The United States is already feeling pain after China failed to renew many plant registrations in March, leaving “the vast majority” of US facilities ineligible to ship and costing an estimated $4bn in lost opportunities, according to the US Meat Export Federation.
Market backdrop
China imported a record 2.87m tonnes of beef in 2024, but H1 2025 volumes fell 9.5% to 1.3m tonnes as demand slowed. Beijing has stepped up support for the cattle sector and says farm profitability has returned in recent months. Extending the probe “buys time” to see if the industry can recover without safeguards, analysts said.
What to watch next
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Whether China opts for quiet, negotiated fixes rather than formal curbs.
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Any movement on US plant re-registrations.
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Import pace into Q4 as domestic margins improve.
Source: Reuters, 6 August 2025 — “China extends probe into imported beef, a respite for global suppliers.” Reporting by Ella Cao, Lewis Jackson and Tom Polansek. Link: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/china-extends-probe-imported-beef-respite-global-suppliers-2025-08-06/
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