The latest beef trade data shows a continuation of recent trends—decreased exports and increased imports. Beef exports in April were down 8.6% year over year and are down 4.2% for the January to April period. Beef imports were up 44.9% year over year in April and up 28.4% for the year to date.
In April, beef exports to South Korea were up 15.3% from last year and are up 3.1% so far this year. South Korea was the largest beef export market in April and is the largest for the year to date. Beef exports to Japan were up 8.1% year over year in April but are down 0.9% thus far in 2025. Mexico jumped to the No. 3 spot in April despite a drop in beef exports of 9.5% for the month compared to last year. Mexico is down 9.9% for the January to April period year over year in the No. 4 spot.
The most noticeable early impacts of the tariffs are the 67.7% decrease in beef exports to China in April. However, beef exports to Hong Kong were up 86.6% in April due to differences in tariffs between Hong Kong and mainland China. The two markets are usually considered as a single market, so combined April beef exports were down 52.2% year over year and are down 13.8% thus far in the year. China/Hong Kong was the fourth-largest beef export market in April but remains the third-largest for the year-to-date.
Beef exports to No. 5 market, Canada, were down 14% in April and are down 0.5% year over year for the first four months of the year. Taiwan’s exports were down 18.8% in April compared to the same period last year and are down 7.4% thus far in 2025.
Beef imports from Brazil jumped 308.5% in April, making Brazil the largest source of beef imports thus far in 2025. Australia is No. 2, with April imports from the country up 33.1% year over year and up 32.3% for the year to date.
Beef imports from third-ranked Canada were down 14.4% in April and are down 9.6% year over year for the first four months of the year. Beef imports from No. 4, New Zealand, were up 49.2% from last year and are up 17.5% through April. Beef imports from Mexico were down 0.7% year over year in April and are up 10.4% compared to the January to April period last year. Mexico is the fifth-largest source of beef imports. Uruguay is the sixth-largest beef import source, up 15.7% year over year in April and up 36.1% in the first four months of the year.
The complex trade situation will continue to evolve in the coming months with continued policy uncertainty and global market disruptions. Trade relationships are shifting rapidly, and market volatility is expected to continue going forward. — Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist
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