How to Enter the Huge Pork Market in China
- Impact of the Trade War on China’s Pork Market
Tariff-Driven Disruptions: China has imposed retaliatory tariffs of 125–172% on U.S. pork, effectively shutting out American suppliers. This has led to the cancellation of major orders (e.g., 12,000 metric tons in April 2025, the largest since 2020) source.
Shift in Suppliers: China is diversifying imports to the EU (Spain, Denmark, Netherlands) and Brazil, which now offer more competitive prices due to tariff exemptions source.
Loss of U.S. Offal Market: China previously bought 55% of U.S. pork offal (e.g., feet, intestines), but tariffs have forced importers to seek alternatives or reduce reliance on these products .
- Key Changes in 2025
Domestic Production Recovery: China’s hog herds have stabilized post-African Swine Fever (ASF), reducing reliance on imports. However, disease risks persist for small-scale farms .
Price Volatility: Oversupply and tariff pressures are lowering pork prices domestically, but import costs remain high due to trade barriers .
Regulatory Adjustments: China is tightening food safety and traceability rules, requiring importers to comply with stricter labeling (e.g., ractopamine-free certifications) 8.
- Demand Trends
Declining Per-Capita Consumption: Pork demand is softening slightly as consumers shift toward poultry, seafood, and plant-based proteins .
Premium Preferences: Growing demand for high-quality, traceable pork (e.g., organic, branded products) .
Offal Demand: China remains the world’s largest offal importer, but tariffs are forcing importers to explore alternative sources (e.g., Spanish pork stomachs newly approved in 2025) 1011.
- What Chinese Importers Need
Alternative Suppliers:
EU and Brazil: Prioritize partnerships with Spanish, Danish, and Brazilian exporters, which now dominate China’s import market .
Diversification: Explore emerging suppliers like Russia and BRICS nations to mitigate trade war risks .
Cost-Effective Logistics:
Cold Chain Expansion: Invest in refrigeration to handle increased volumes from non-U.S. sources .
Tariff Mitigation: Negotiate long-term contracts with suppliers to lock in prices before further trade disruptions.
Compliance with Chinese Standards:
Certifications: Ensure imports meet China’s ractopamine-free and traceability requirements 8.
Labeling Adaptability: Products must be labeled for the Chinese market (e.g., specific packaging for offal) to avoid rerouting challenges 8.
Market Intelligence:
Monitor Policy Shifts: Stay updated on tariff pauses (e.g., potential U.S.-China negotiations) and anti-dumping investigations (e.g., EU pork inquiry) .
Risk Management:
Hedging Strategies: Use futures or contracts to offset price volatility caused by trade wars 5.
Stockpiling: Coordinate with government reserves to stabilize supply during disruptions 1.
- Outlook for 2025
Short-Term: Prices may dip due to oversupply, but importers face higher costs for non-U.S. pork.
Long-Term: If tariffs persist, China will deepen ties with the EU and Brazil, while U.S. market share erodes further .
For importers, agility in sourcing and compliance will be critical to navigate this volatile landscape.
The spread of African swine fever (ASF) among Chinese pigs has been a major topic of discussion for a number of years. And yet, according to expert Jurgen Hijink of the Hijdeporc Consultancy, Chinese pork consumption has been rising at a rate of roughly 1 million tons annually despite the lingering consequences. He anticipates that pork imports will decrease to pre-ASF levels by 2026, as the hog herd will have been rapidly rebuilt.
Latest Situation
There are a plethora of parallel, much more massive projects underway in China. According to Hijink, one facility had 21 six-story buildings housing 660 pigs apiece. Every level here functions as its own little apartment. He mentions that one firm alone is responsible for the production of over 30 million pigs annually, which is equivalent to about 21% of the whole U.S. pig crop in 2020.
Before 1995, most swine in China came from small farms. Just 15 years later, commercial businesses breeding between 50 and 1,000 pigs had surpassed homesteading. These days, according to Hijink, specialized farms with more than 1,000 sows account for roughly 40% of production, while commercial operations with up to 1,000 sows account for the other 40%.
He estimates that by 2025, specialized farms will account for 65% of total production, commercial farms will account for 30%, and home farms will account for only 5%.
With the help of imported new genetics and scientific management, it is anticipated that the modern farms would significantly increase annual piglets per sow from the current 16 to the 25 to 30 pigs produced by Western operations.
There is a positive effect on feed conversions and less time spent eating. Wheat and maize make up 65% of feed, or 215 kg per pig, on specialized farms, compared to 50% on commercial farms and barely 20% on farms with fewer than 50 pigs produced, therefore this is an important statistic for grain farmers.
He continues, “This is why I anticipate feed consumption to increase by 40%, to 40 million tons, by 2025.” Although, as Hijink points out, “A significant concern is how much reliance on imports the Chinese government will accept and whether it may re-incentivize domestic grain production instead.”
The Chinese meat market
- About 30% of the world’s meat consumption is by China
- A huge market the size of more than $209 billion
- Meat is the second largest sector in China’s retail food market (after the fresh vegetable sector)
- Pork and beef are Chinese’s two favorite imported meat
- Expected annual growth over +3%
Exporting your meat to China
To meat producers: here is THE opportunity of this decade. Many companies in China are looking for importing meat from abroad in the country, even at high set prices!
Chinese Pork importers (List)
Here is a non-exhaustive list of Chinese meat importers you can start doing business with as soon as you will decide to:
- IFF (China) Ltd. (Yunpu Plant)
- Shanghai Great Champ Oils & Grains Co.,Ltd
- Parker International Llc Migliorini
- Wuhu Shuanghui Foods Co., Ltd. Linjiang Industrial Zone, Sanshan
- Thomsen Food Line A / S
- Whole Sun Ltd
- Win Legend International Limited.
- Guangyao Shangmao Ltd
- Hongxings Shengye Food Co.Ltd.
- Chuhai Trading Company
- Smart Trend Trading Ltd
All of these meat importers are currently looking for new exporters of diverse types and parts of meat (pork, beef, chicken, …).
But doing business with a foreign company can be complex if you don’t work with a tiers party, and even more if you don’t speak Mandarin!
Obviously, everything you have to do is to find a Chinese meat importer that needs the type of product you are selling, but how will you understand what he wants?
How to find a reliable distributor in Mainland China
Finding a good partner to work with to distribute your physical products in China is not an easy thing. Your search for Chinese suppliers can start online. Alibaba, Made in China, and Global Sources are all popular websites for selecting distributors and manufacturers in China. But how do you go about finding one? And what should you look for?
Follow some of our tips to kick off your company on China market.
Consider setting an account on Tmall B2D
Tmall is China’s largest online retail platform, and now there’s a new way for businesses to sell their wares there. Businesses can now sell their wares to Tmall distributors in China using the brand new Tmall Global B2D (Business to Dealer) e-commerce platform. There is a huge market in China for a wide variety of goods, from affordable medical equipment and pharmaceuticals to construction materials and office supplies to high-end clothing and cosmetics.
A total of over 85,000 distributors operating in China are listed in the database, making it possible for any company to locate a distributor in the country. Logistics, payments, and supply chain management are all handled by the platform. Tmall’s business-to-consumer (B2C) platform is a fantastic time-saver for brands because it allows them to choose China distributors without leaving the platform. The entire platform is written in Chinese, so if that’s a problem for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Set a minimum sales quota, choose distribution partners and trade exhibitions, plan logistics, and more with our assistance.
Gentleman Marketing Agency is here to help you with the process
External assistance is very helpful at the beginning of the market entry. If you want to know more about how Chinese distribution works and how to choose good Chinese distributors, feel free to contact us, we have unique expertise and knowledge of the market thanks to our international marketing specialists.
It’s a lot easier to overcome language and culture barriers when you go through a sourcing agent that will come up with the best sourcing strategy to find suitable distributors for your products in China. Feel free to leave as a message!
