China imported 504,608 metric tons (mt) of meat, including variety meats in August 2025, slumping 5.4% (28,634 mt) from a month earlier, according to preliminary data from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).
Inbound tonnage dropped to its lowest level since Expana began tracking in January 2020. The decline reflected higher domestic output, persistent inventory pressure, broader macroeconomic headwinds, and ongoing trade tensions.
A wave of meat plant license suspensions linked to disease concerns and renewal lapses amid the Sino-US trade war further impeded meat inflows.
Year-on-year (Y-O-Y), August 2025 imports fell sharply by 10.7%, or 60,494 mt. Market players said China was flush with domestic meat supplies after stockpiling in 2023, while elevated pork production continued to curb import needs.
China’s gargantuan property bust imperiled overall economic momentum, spilling into household sentiment and curbing consumer spending, The pullback left food and beverage outlets with weaker foot traffic, particularly in urban centers that rely on discretionary spending.
At the same time, the economic slowdown has steered consumers toward cheaper protein options back home, further weighing on demand for imported meat.
The strain deepened in May this year when an official alcohol ban reduced visits to high-end venues, a move that rippled through the hospitality trade and weighed on meat demand more broadly.
Despite the low base earlier in the year, August showed little revival in restocking and fell short of the sharp seasonal gains that usually follow a softer spring and summer. Importers were cautious amid high inventories and fragile consumer demand, slowing purchases even as winter dishes such as hotpots, soups, and stews typically drive stronger buying.
In the first eight months of the 2025 calendar year, China imported 4.23 million mt of meat, declining 3.7% or 160,886 mt YoY.
* The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China released a combined figure for the first two months of the year. The chart above shows an average figure representing the monthly data individually.
Expana provides regular beef market coverage for the geographies listed in this analysis.
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Co-authored by:
Bill Smith
1-732-240-5330 ext. 265
Junie Lin
Joe Muldowney
1-732-240-5330 ext. 244
Written by Augusto Eto
