The importation of Australian beef during the past month increased to 3,855 tonnes swt (up 412% year-on-year), with chilled beef imports rising 256%, to 83 tonnes swt.
China also imported 1,301 tonnes swt of beef from Uruguay during October (up 259% year-on-year), with imports from New Zealand rising 287%, to 929 tonnes swt.
While Australian beef shipments to China have been surging since September, stronger demand for beef from the rising middle class population in China is expected to push Chinese beef market prices higher for domestic fresh cuts or imported frozen premium cuts in 2013 (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA’s) Global Agricultural Information Network).
However, it is anticipated that the price rise will weaken beef consumption across lower-income consumers, which will partly offset the increased demand from the middle class.
As a result, total beef consumption in China is forecast to show just a slight increase during 2013, reaching 5.6 million tonnes cwt (compared to 5.5 million tonnes cwt in 2012), with per capita consumption estimated at 4kg.
The increase of pork consumption during 2013 is forecast to be small, rising to 53.1 million tonnes cwt (compared to 52 million tonnes cwt in 2012).
