Chinese Livestock Demand

This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

There’s no getting around the fact that China is a significant driver of global agricultural markets, and that’s certainly true in the livestock industries. China resident and ag technology consultant Ian Lahiffe says the numbers present a compelling case as to why it’s crucial for farmers worldwide to have a sense of Chinese consumer behavior and trends.

Lahiffe… “You know, at a high level, you could say China has 20 percent of the global population, but only 9 percent of global arable land which means that they're, you know, maintaining such huge livestock industries certainly creates a challenge. And then as I say, well, the Chinese livestock industry and how Chinese consumers choose their protein has a direct impact on global agriculture. You know, because China is obviously the world's largest importer of dairy, largest importer of beef, largest importer of soy, largest importer of corn. And certainly their supply chains are integrated right into kind of markets everywhere from New Zealand for dairy to the U. S. for corn and soy to Brazil for obviously commodities and also for beef. So, you know, farmers right around the world should and must take an interest in the trends of Chinese consumers and the welfare of the Chinese livestock sector in terms of sustainability and profitability.”

Lahiffe has been living and working in China for the last 15 years.