China Imposes Three-Year Beef Safeguard With Country Quotas and 55% Tariff on Excess Imports

Overview

• The rules take effect on January 1, 2026 and run through December 31, 2028, applying a 55% surcharge to beef volumes that exceed each country’s quota.
• China set total annual quotas at about 2.69 million tonnes for 2026, 2.74 million tonnes for 2027 and 2.8 million tonnes for 2028.
• Brazil receives the largest allocation at 1.106 million tonnes in 2026, rising to 1.128 million in 2027 and 1.154 million in 2028, after exporting more to China in 2025 than the first-year cap.
• The extra duty is in addition to existing tariffs, unused quota cannot be carried into the next year, and some smaller suppliers are exempt from the safeguard.
• Australia’s meat industry warns exports to China could fall by about one-third, while Brazilian officials play down immediate risks and plan talks with China, including on possible quota transfers.