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Where does China get its beef? Import sources 2024

In 2024, China imported $12.4 billion of beef (2.7 million tonnes), 18% of the world total. Its main sources were Brazil (48%), Argentina (13%) and Australia (12%). China was the world’s largest importer of beef.

Summary

Value
$12.4billion
Tonnes
2.7million tonnes
Share of world total
18%
World rank
1st
Routes from the main sources. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Sources

The 20 main sources in the latest year.

PartnerValue (USD billions)TonnesUSD per tonneShareMode
Brazil6Tonnes: 1,324,471USD per tonne: $4,53748.4%Sea
Argentina1.6Tonnes: 573,459USD per tonne: $2,85313.2%Sea
Australia1.5Tonnes: 219,278USD per tonne: $6,92812.2%Sea
United States1.4Tonnes: 144,348USD per tonne: $10,00911.6%Sea
New Zealand0.65Tonnes: 147,177USD per tonne: $4,4145.2%Sea
Uruguay0.63Tonnes: 150,846USD per tonne: $4,1575.1%Sea
Bolivia0.17Tonnes: 42,948USD per tonne: $3,8651.3%Sea
Russia0.09Tonnes: 17,831USD per tonne: $5,1690.74%Land
Belarus0.07Tonnes: 21,257USD per tonne: $3,5130.6%Sea
Chile0.06Tonnes: 18,074USD per tonne: $3,4940.51%Sea
Costa Rica0.04Tonnes: 11,352USD per tonne: $3,1360.29%Sea
Colombia0.03Tonnes: 7,410USD per tonne: $4,5540.27%Sea
Ukraine0.02Tonnes: 5,086USD per tonne: $4,2630.17%Sea
South Africa0.02Tonnes: 5,288USD per tonne: $3,7460.16%Sea
Ireland0.01Tonnes: 1,051USD per tonne: $7,5270.06%Sea
Panama< 0.01Tonnes: 1,139USD per tonne: $4,0990.04%Sea
Pakistan< 0.01Tonnes: 743USD per tonne: $5,0330.03%Land
Namibia< 0.01Tonnes: 682USD per tonne: $3,6660.02%Sea
Nicaragua< 0.01Tonnes: 410USD per tonne: $4,6430.02%Sea
France< 0.01Tonnes: 65USD per tonne: $8,0920%Sea

Trend

Who it buys from

Brazil has been its main source since 2016

Value in USD billions. The five largest sources in 2024.

  • Brazil 6
  • Argentina 1.6
  • Australia 1.5
  • United States 1.4
  • New Zealand 0.65

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
Brazil< 0.016
Argentina< 0.011.6
Australia< 0.011.5
United States< 0.011.4
New Zealand< 0.010.65

Sources and methodology

Other products of this country

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

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