China adds 55% tariff to Brazil beef imports

China announced on September 30 that it will impose a 55% additional tariff on beef imports from Brazil starting October 1, on top of the existing rate, according to the Chinese Commerce Ministry. This comes after China's decision in January to enforce an extra 55% tariff on beef imports exceeding set quotas from major suppliers, including Brazil, as part of efforts to safeguard its homegrown cattle industry.

As the largest purchaser of Brazilian beef, China had set a quota of 1.1 million metric tons for the country in 2026. Despite Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva informing last week that Uruguay had authorized Brazil to utilize the surplus from its beef export quota to China, China has declined to permit Brazil to employ this arrangement, according to industry sources.

Reuters reports in May that China rejected Brazil's numerous appeals to adapt and redistribute quotas so that Brazil could leverage extra export volumes from other nations. The Commerce Ministry has not released any public statements addressing Brazil's requests. Analysts are eagerly awaiting China's decision on whether it will renew its beef export quota system for 2027 by the end of the year.

According to industry estimates, Brazil's total beef exports are predicted to decline by 10% year-on-year in 2026, primarily due to Beijing's restrictions and a recent limitation on meat exports to the European Union.