China is banning imports of sheep, goat, poultry and even-toed ungulates – a category that includes pigs, cattle and camels – from countries in Africa, Asia and Europe due to outbreaks of livestock diseases including sheep pox, goat pox and foot-and-mouth-disease, Reuters reports.
In announcements dated 21 January, China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC) stated that the ban, which applies to both processed and unprocessed products, is a response to disease outbreak information provided by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The restrictions affect imports from African nations including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Egypt, Eritrea, Ghana, Nigeria, Somalia and Tanzania; Asian countries such as Timor-Leste and Qatar; and Bulgaria in Europe.
China has also stopped imports of sheep, goat and related products from Palestine, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan due to sheep pox and goat pox outbreaks. Even-toed ungulates and related products from Germany are also banned as the European country deals with its first cases of foot-and-mouth-disease since 1988.
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China is the world’s largest meat importer, purchasing 6.66 million metric tons in 2024, according to data from the GAC. Despite holding this title since 2019, meat imports have been falling for years, including a 9.7-percent drop in 2024.
Temporary bans on meat imports are not uncommon, as countries aim to protect their citizens and livestock from dangerous pathogens. The UK and South Korea, for example, also instituted bans on importing livestock or related products from Germany following the recent outbreak.Meat exports can also get caught up in trade disputes. For example, China banned several Australian goods, including wine and beef, after Australia called for an independent investigation into Covid-19. The almost two-year ban was finally lifted in December 2024.
