China Sets Beef Import Quotas Impacting New Zealand Exports From 2026

China has today announced quotas on beef imports following a safeguard investigation into the impact of rising imports on its domestic industry. The measures, which apply to all of China’s major trading partners for beef including New Zealand, will take effect from 1 January 2026 for a period of three years.

Under the new rules, New Zealand will have an annual duty-free quota of 206,000 tonnes raising to 214,000 tonnes, worth up to $1.75 billion if fully utilised. This represents around 8 percent of China’s combined quotas.

This quota, whilst unwelcome, is larger than the last two year’s beef exports to China of around 150,000 tonnes per year, and New Zealand exports are unlikely to face restraint under the arrangements, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says.

Mr McClay says the outcome reflects strong engagement between New Zealand and China throughout the investigation process and sees a better outcome than some countries who now face a reduction in access.

I’ve been able to make the case to my Chinese counterparts on three occasions last year that New Zealand exporters are not harming the Chinese beef market and therefore should not be adversely affected by an safeguard measures. Our quota allocation means beef exports under the China NZ FTA are in practice unaffected, Mr McClay says.

We worked hard to ensure these measures recognise the strength of our trade relationship and minimise disruption for New Zealand exporters. While any new restriction is disappointing, this quota is larger than our recent export volumes and means that exporters can continue trading without additional tariffs.

China is New Zealand’s second-largest beef market after the United States. In the 12 months to November 2025, 19 percent of New Zealand’s beef exports by value, $961 million, went to China, representing approximately 4 percent of China’s total beef imports.

New Zealand beef exporters can have confidence in the Chinese market, where demand for high-quality, safe food products continues to grow. We will keep working with China to ensure smooth implementation and explore opportunities to expand our trade, Mr McClay says.

China remains one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic partners, underpinned by a high-quality free trade agreement.