Chinese beef production falls 2.1% in the first quarter of 2026.

China reported a 2.1% drop in beef production in the first quarter of 2026, totaling 1.87 million tons. According to the new… VIP Report from the DATAGROThis was the first contraction in 13 years, but it was ultimately offset by record imports, which grew by 28.4% and totaled 886,700 tons.

Imports accounted for 32.2% of China's domestic beef supply in the quarter, an increase of nearly 200,000 tons compared to the same period in 2025. Total beef supply advanced 6.1% to 2.76 million tons, sustained exclusively by foreign purchases.

Brazil expanded its market share from 44.7% to 57.7%, an increase of 13.0 percentage points compared to the previous year. This performance was driven by the competitiveness of Brazilian products and the anticipation of shipments due to safeguard quotas implemented by China.

For more information, visit the VIP Report in analysis section of DATAGRO Portal.

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.