U.S. beef sales to China have sharply declined, according to government data released Thursday, after Beijing allowed export registrations for hundreds of American meat facilities to lapse. The situation is further strained by ongoing trade tensions, including increased tariffs on U.S. meat and other goods, making them less appealing to Chinese buyers.
China has not renewed export registrations for U.S. beef facilities that expired on March 16, though it has updated approvals for pork and poultry plants, according to traders and the U.S. Meat Export Federation. As a result, uncertainty over clearance for American beef produced after that date has left exporters and Chinese buyers hesitant to make deals, said federation spokesperson Joe Schuele. “Nobody wants to put product at risk,” he added.