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Fresh or Frozen Beef Imports by Country

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Encompassing fresh, chilled and frozen beef, worldwide purchases of imported beef totaled US$83.6 billion in 2025.

The overall value of beef imports increased by 42.3% for all importing countries from five years earlier in 2021 when beef purchases were valued at $58.7 billion.

Year over year, the total cost of globally imported beef inflated by 19.3% compared to $70.1 billion starting from 2024.

The 5 biggest importers of fresh, chilled and frozen beef (inclusive) are mainland China, United States of America, South Korea, Germany and Italy. Collectively, that powerful cohort of major beef buyers bought approaching half (47.2%) of globally imported beef by value.

By meat type, global imports of frozen beef (52.9% overall) in 2025 compared to fresh or chilled beef (47.1% versus 46.5% one year prior).

From a continental perspective, buyers in Asian countries consumed the highest dollar worth of imported beef during 2025 with purchases valued at $34.3 billion or 41.1% of the global total. In second place were importers based in Europe at 31.3% while another 20.6% of worldwide beef imports was delivered to customers in North America.

Smaller percentages were imported into Latin America (4.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (2.6%), then Oceania (0.3%) led by New Zealand, French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Australia.

For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefixes are 0201 for fresh or chilled beef and 0202 for frozen beef.

Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of beef during 2025, inclusive of fresh, chilled and frozen beef.

mainland China: US$14.8 billion (17.7% of total beef imports)
United States: $13.4 billion (16%)
South Korea: $3.9 billion (4.6%)
Germany: $3.8 billion (4.6%)
Italy: $3.6 billion (4.3%)
Netherlands: $3.2 billion (3.8%)
Japan: $3.1 billion (3.7%)
France: $2.7 billion (3.2%)
United Kingdom: $2.3 billion (2.8%)
Mexico: $2.1 billion (2.5%)
Canada: $1.7 billion (2%)
Chile: $1.67 billion (2%)
Spain: $1.62 billion (1.9%)
Taiwan: $1.47 billion (1.8%)
Portugal: $1.38 billion (1.6%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped approaching three-quarters (72.7%) of all beef imported in 2025.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing beef importers since 2021 were: Netherlands (up 501%), Italy (up 486%), Chile (up 459.4%) and Germany (up 388.3%).

Those countries that posted year-over-year declines in their imported beef purchases were: Taiwan (down -16.3%), mainland China (down -12.3%), South Korea (down -5.4%) and Japan (down -0.8%).

Top Fresh or Chilled Beef Importers

Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of fresh or chilled beef during 2025. Purchases for all fresh or chilled beef importers totaled $39.4 billion, increasing in total cost by 41.9% from $27.7 billion in 2021 and accelerating 21% compared to $32.5 billion during 2024.

United States: US$6.9 billion (17.5% of imported fresh or chilled beef)
Germany: $3.3 billion (8.3%)
Italy: $3.1 billion (7.8%)
Netherlands: $2.7 billion (6.9%)
France: $2 billion (5%)
United Kingdom: $1.65 billion (4.2%)
Japan: $1.44 billion (3.7%)
Chile: $1.44 billion (3.7%)
Mexico: $1.38 billion (3.5%)
Spain: $1.28 billion (3.2%)
South Korea: $1.26 billion (3.2%)
Portugal: $1.1 billion (2.8%)
Canada: $977.1 million (2.5%)
Greece: $889.6 million (2.3%)
mainland China: $759.9 million (1.9%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped over three-quarters (76.6%) of all fresh or chilled beef imported in 2025.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing fresh or chilled beef importers since 2021 were: Spain (up 121.7%), Portugal (up 102.7%), Mexico (up 72.4%) and the Netherlands (up 67.7%).

Those countries that posted year-over-year declines in their imported fresh or chilled beef purchases were: Japan (down -34.4%), South Korea (down -11.6%) and Chile (down -2%).

Top Frozen Beef Importers

Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of frozen beef during 2025. Purchases for all frozen beef importers totaled $37.4 billion, increasing in total cost by 36.1% from $27.5 billion in 2021 and accelerating by 11.4% compared to $33.6 billion for 2024.

mainland China: US$14 billion (31.7% of imported frozen beef)
United States: $6.5 billion (14.8%)
South Korea: $2.6 billion (5.9%)
Japan: $1.7 billion (3.8%)
Egypt: $1 billion (2.3%)
Taiwan: $941.2 million (2.1%)
Vietnam: $887.6 million (2%)
Indonesia: $835.7 million (1.9%)
Malaysia: $808.2 million (1.8%)
Israel: $757.2 million (1.7%)
Canada: $726.1 million (1.6%)
France: $722.9 million (1.6%)
Hong Kong: $710.5 million (1.6%)
Saudi Arabia: $710 million (1.6%)
United Kingdom: $700.2 million (1.6%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped over three-quarters (76.1%) of all frozen beef imported in 2025.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing frozen beef importers since 2021 were: Canada (up 193%), United States (up 147.6%), France (up 118.7%) and the United Kingdom (up 99.8%).

Hong Kong was the lone listed country that posted a year-over-year decline in imported frozen beef purchases via a -48.1% slowdown.

Beef Import/Export Companies

According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following companies participate in the international trade of beef or beef-related products. Shown within parenthesis is the home-country location for each business.