China to impose 55% tariff on Australian beef over 2.7M tonne quota starting Jan 1, 2026.

Effective January 1, 2026, China has imposed a 55% tariff on Australian beef imports that surpass a 2.7 million metric tonne annual quota as part of safeguard measures to protect its domestic industry from oversupply and declining prices. The action, which affects all beef imports, is anticipated to cost the sector more than $1 billion a year and reduce Australian exports to China by roughly one-third. In 2024, only 8% of China's beef came from Australia; the majority came from South America. The Australian Meat Industry Council noted that Australia had fully cooperated in a year-long investigation and called the decision unfair and incompatible with the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Industry leaders intend to lobby both governments to address the impact when the quota is anticipated to be reached by July 2026.