China meat imports down 5.4% in 2021

China 's meat imports fell 5.4% in 2021 from the previous year, customs data showed on Friday, as rising domestic pork shipments cut demand for overseas supplies. More than half of the meat China imports is pork, the country's favorite protein, and about a quarter is beef, Reuters reported.

China imported 9.38 million tons of meat last year, up from 9.91 million tons in 2020, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Producers have increased pork production in recent years after production was devastated by the African swine fever epidemic in 2018 and 2019.

But the surge in supply comes amid weak pork demand as a series of COVID-19 outbreaksFewer people are dining out.

Domestic pork prices have been falling for most of last year and will fall by 14% in 2022, which has also put pressure on export meat prices.

“Last year was a tough one due to lower prices and logistics,” said a leading pork and poultry exporter to China, who asked not to be named.

Although the total value of meat imports rose by 4.6% to $32 billion, it was bolstered by beef, he added, whose global supply is limited, while pork prices have fallen, which in turn has put pressure on prices for chicken.

Weak demand and lower prices have led to a sharp decline in meat supplies in recent months, while a ban on Brazilian beef from September 3 to mid-December has reduced supplies from the main supplier of this product to China.

Tighter measures have also been taken in recent months to prevent COVID-19 from entering the country on the surface of frozen food, said Pan Chenjun, senior analyst at Rabobank.

December meat imports of 654,000 tons are down 32% year-over-year and below November's figure of 677,000 tons, customs said.

Imports appear to continue to fall, Pan said, as domestic supply rises.

“The price cannot support further large imports,” she added.