China has announced annual quotas and a 55% tariff on beef imports exceeding limits for South American suppliers like Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, but Colombia is exempt due to its small market share.
The policy, effective from January 2026, aims to protect Chinese local producers. Total quotas will be 2.69 million tons in 2026, rising to 2.74 million in 2027 and 2.8 million in 2028. Shipments exceeding these limits will face the punitive 55% tariff.
Colombia, with a historical share under 3% of Chinese imports, is not subject to these restrictions. This provides a competitive edge, according to sector experts. José Félix Lafaurie Rivera, president of Fedegan, stated: “China is today one of the most relevant markets for South American beef. Therefore, any adjustment in its trade rules has immediate effects on prices, volumes, and export strategies. In this new scenario, Colombia emerges as a smaller but potentially benefiting actor”.
Dane data shows that from January to October 2025, China imported 16,006 tons of Colombian beef worth US$77.6 million, a record surpassing the 10,650 tons for all of 2024 (US$41.3 million). This market accounted for 51.4% of Colombia's beef exports in that period.
Augusto Beltrán Segrera from Fedegan said: “This is good news for Colombia. They don't impose a tariff on us because historically we have less than 3% of the imports, so the tariff doesn't apply to Colombia. Thus, with this news, we will have a competitive advantage because Colombian products won't have additional tariffs”.
Beltrán estimates Colombia could export up to 50,000 tons to China, tripling current volumes, depending on domestic prices.
