Meat Exports to China
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. With China imposing retaliatory tariffs in response to U.S. “reciprocal” tariffs, China’s effective duty rate on U.S. pork has reached 172%, while U.S. beef is tariffed at 147%.
Erin Borror, U.S. Meat Export Federation vice president says that has effectively halted trade …
BORROR … “There’s a mad scramble to try to essentially find new homes for this product that is in the pipeline, that was produced for China. And remember that for China, we have special China-labeling, it’s ractopamine-free product with a China label both on the bad and the box. So, it’s costly production specific for China and thus difficult to, you know, reroute or find a new home for.”
Borror says China buys certain beef items at a price other markets won’t pay …
BORROR … “Without that China bid, we’re looking at $150 to $165 per head industry loss, and added up over a year that would be about a $4 billion lost opportunity on the beef side.”
Borror says China is our number three pork market overall, but number one in variety cuts …
BORROR … “Without China on the pork side we estimate the losses of about $8 to $10 per head. Spread across that total industry for the year is about a $1 billion loss.”
China’s failure to renew registrations for 400 U.S. beef facilities presents an additional barrier.
