China is expected to increase beef imports by 3% in 2022. The recent USDA projection indicates that the Asian country will reach a volume of 3.1 million tons for this year, almost equivalent to the volume of pork imports.
The same projection indicates that in 2022, China’s cattle production is also expected to increase as well, reaching 52.5 million head, and for beef production, an increase of 2% is estimated compared to 2021, with 7.15 million tons.
With heated sales, Brazil should continue to be the largest supplier of beef to China. “We have strong suppliers in other countries, but Brazil’s production capacity is huge. Even with an increase in the Chinese production, there is a growing consumption of this protein around the world and global sales remain strong. The import numbers from China, despite increasing production, will continue to increase imports”, explains Fabio Leone, red protein manager at Garra International.
Consumption in the world
According to the OECD, in the last 50 years, beef consumption has increased more than five times. The organisation estimates that, on average, meat consumption will continue to grow year after year, reaching the mark of 43.7 kg per capita in 2030.
Currently, among the countries that most consume meat in the world are Argentina, with 36.9 kg per person each year, the United States, with 26.1 kg per capita, and Brazil, where an average of 24.6 kg is consumed per person.