01 July, 2017
On June 30, a delegation of USA trade representatives including Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Ambassador to China Terry Branstad celebrated the return of US beef in Beijing.
China's top online retailers and USA superstore giant Walmart are scrambling to satisfy the voracious appetites of consumers excited about the first American beef to arrive in the world's most populous nation in 14 years. "U.S. beef exports to China is a new beginning".
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) participated in a media reception marking the return of U.S. beef to China.
"We can provide more safe, high-quality food products for the consumers here in China, a key part of improving our relationship and reducing our trade deficit", U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad told reporters in Beijing on Friday.
Beef trade with China has been halted since late 2003 after the discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the U.S. During the past 13.5 years, China has become a major consumer of beef going from $275 million in beef imports 2012 to $2.5 billion in 2016. JD.com, one of the country's biggest online retailers, has started pre-sales of USA beef ahead of the product's availability from mid-July.
Long a supporter of global trade and greater access to foreign markets, NCBA has worked since 2003 to help restore access to China's more than 1.3 billion consumers for America's cattle and beef producers.
The appetite for American beef has grown tremendously in Asia in recent years, with Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong rapidly becoming three of the world's top five importers of American-produced beef.
At a ceremony in Beijing, a prime rib from Nebraska was cut into marking the arrival of USA beef by Perdue; Craig Uden, president of National Cattlemen's Beef Association; and Luan Richeng, of state-owned Chinese importer COFCO. "Nebraska leads the nation in beef exports and commercial red meat production, and China is the second largest importer of beef in the world", Ibach says.
Other deals he would like to see signed would be to allow imports of more varieties of USA genetically modified corn and soybean and to finalize a deal on letting US rice into the country. He will be joined by USDA Foreign Agricultural Service representatives, Ibach (representing the state of Nebraska), USMEF staff and USA beef exporters.
USA beef was offered on COFCO's online shop on Friday, with a 180 gram rib-eye steak sold at 75 yuan ($11). "Buyer interest is very strong, and we are excited about the opportunity to work with USA exporters and future customers in China to build a solid foundation for USA beef in this dynamic market".
