According to GAC data, in 2020, China's meat import (including viscera) amounted to 9.91 million tons, representing a YOY growth of 60.4%. The value of import reached 30.7 billion USD, which increased by 59.6% compared with that of 2019. The details of each meat category are as follows.
1. Pork
The import volume of pork reached 4.39 million tons in 2020, which increased by 108.34%. The import value totaled to 12.04 billion USD, with the YOY growth of 157.59%. Pork was imported from over 20 countries, among which Spain ranked the top (961.5 thousand tons, 21.89%), followed by the USA (699.1 thousand tons, 15.92%), Brazil (481.9 thousand tons, 10.97%), Germany (469.7 thousand tons, 10.69%), Canada (422.2 thousand tons, 9.61%), Denmark (366.9 thousand tons, 8.35%), Netherlands (270 thousand tons, 6.15%), and Chile, France, UK, etc.
2. Chicken
The import volume of chicken (including whole chicken, chicken nugget, chicken feet, chicken wing) reached 1.433 million tons in 2020, which increased by 98.28%. The import value amounted to 3.283 billion USD, with the YOY growth of 74.78%. Chicken was imported from 12 different countries, among which Brazil ranked the top (637.6 thousand tons, 44.50%), followed by the USA (391.1 thousand tons, 27.30%), Russia (141.6 thousand tons, 9.88%), Thailand (102.7 thousand tons, 7.17%), Argentina (92.2 thousand tons, 6.43%), and Chile, Belarus, France, etc.
3. Beef
The import volume of beef reached 2.12 million tons in 2020, which increased by 27.65%. The import value reached 10.2 billion USD, with the YOY growth of 23.76%. Beef was imported from 29 different countries, among which Brazil ranked the top (848.4 thousand tons, 40.05%), followed by Argentina (482.6 thousand tons, 22.78%), Australia (253.3 thousand tons, 11.96%), Uruguay (229.7 thousand tons, 10.84%), New Zealand (169.9 thousand tons, 8.02%), and the USA, Chile, Costa Rica, etc.
4. Mutton
The import volume of mutton reached 365 thousand tons in 2020, which decreased by 6.97%. The import value reached 1.744 billion USD, with the YOY decrease of 6.29%. Mutton was imported from 7 different countries, among which New Zealand ranked the top (200.6 thousand tons, accounting for 54.97%), followed by Australia (152.2 thousand tons, 41.70%), Uruguay (8.2 thousand tons, 2.26%), and Chile, Argentina, Serbia and Iceland.
5. Horseflesh, donkey meat, and mule meat
The import volume of horseflesh, donkey meat and mule meat reached 18,856 tons in 2020, which decreased by 33.27%. The import value reached 35.59 million USD, with the YOY decrease of 32.84%. Horseflesh, donkey meat and mule meat were mainly imported from Mongolia, with the import amount of 18,689 tons, accounting for 99.11%. Another 168 tons was imported from Brazil, accounting for 0.89%.
Note: in all charts, the data of the first two months of 2020 are added and shown as one value in the Feb column. All data comes from China animal husbandry online.
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