China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Wednesday that imported Brazilian beef reached 80 percent of import quota for Brazil on Tuesday (July 21). Once the quota is fully exhausted China will impose an additional 55 percent tariff on imported Brazilian beef under China's safeguard measures.

The MOFCOM said that under the No 87 announcement issued on December 31, 2025, once the imports reach the specified quantity, an additional tariff of 55 percent will be levied on top of existing duties beginning on the third day after the threshold is hit.

China has implemented a country-specific and extra tariff mechanism for imported beef from countries including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, New Zealand, Australia and the US since January 2026.

Currently, Brazil is allocated the largest import quota at 1.1 million tons annually. The total import quota for 2026 for countries covered under the ministry's safeguard measures is 2.69 million tons.

The authorities will release notification when import volumes reach 50 percent and 80 percent of each country's annual quota, the MOFCOM said.

According to MOFCOM, Brazil is China's largest source of beef imports, and China's imports of Brazilian beef have seen rapid acceleration this year. He Yongqian, a MOFCOM spokesperson, told a press conference in June that China stands ready to maintain communication and advance the high-quality development of agricultural trade.

The MOFCOM also said that the safeguard measures on imported beef are designed to help the domestic industry weather current difficulties, rather than restrict normal trade. The country-specific quota scheme with additional tariffs on out-of-quota imports represents a moderate policy.

The measure offers a relief to the domestic industry and creates room for its development, while addressing the legitimate demands of trading partners and minimizing disruptions to regular trade, the MOFCOM said.

China imposed an additional 55 percent tariff on imported beef from Australia from June 20, after shipments from the country reached the annual quota under China's safeguard measures.