Source: MEATINGPLACE, 3/4/14

Text of StoryChinese consumers are eating more beef and pork as a substitute for poultry amid safety concerns tied to the avian flu outbreak, pushing up both domestic production and imports, according to USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
“China’s continued avian influenza outbreak is influencing consumers to seek alternative protein sources, such as red meat and fish,” FAS said in a report.

The report’s forecast for 2014 Chinese beef consumption of 6.26 million tons is 2 percent higher than USDA’s official estimate of 6.19 million tons.

Beef production is seen rising 2 percent from a year ago to 5.76 million tons in 2014, with imports increasing to 550,000 tons on favorable prices. Abundant corn and alfalfa supplies, government investment in domestic beef production and increased investment by private companies are supporting the rise in production.

The forecast for beef imports of 550,000 tons is 75,000 tons above USDA’s 2014 estimate because of rising consumer demand and competitive import prices.

Pork
China’s 2014 pork consumption is forecast up 2 percent to 56.2 million tons, boosted by the switch from poultry as well as continued demand in urban cities and cheaper prices compared to other meats.

Pork production is forecast at a record 55.8 million tons, 2 percent higher than USDA’s official 2014 estimate of 54.7 million tons. Fewer swine disease outbreaks and better animal nutrition continue to improve hog slaughter weights and pork production, the report said.

Even with record production, pork imports are expected to increase by 2 percent to 790,000 tons, supported by competitive import prices.

The report notes that the United States, China’s top pork supplier, is facing serious competition in the export market from Germany. The U.S. export market share dropped from 54 percent in 2011 to 36 percent in 2012 and continued downward to 21 percent in 2013.

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