China is an important exporting country of animal products. In 2006, China’s animal products exporting volume amounted to US$ 3.72 billion. Recently, Specialized Sub-Council of Agriculture of CCPIT (China Council for the Promotion of International Trade) /Agriculture Trade Promotion Center of Ministry of Agriculture, P. R. China has edited China Animal Products Buyer’s Guide, aiming to introduce the primary status of major animal products of China and provide direct assistance for buyers from all parts of the world.

The guide include 4 parts: Review of China‘s international trade of animal products 1995-2006, instruction of more than 50 China animal products enterprises, instruction of some China animal associations, and the name list the websites of China animal husbandry.

 The editor will release more information of China agro-products in the future.

Specialized Sub-Council of Agriculture of CCPIT (China Council for the Promotion of International Trade)

Agriculture Trade Promotion Center of Ministry of Agriculture, P. R. China

Contact:

CCPIT-Specialized Sub-Council of Agriculture/Agriculture Trade Promotion Center, Ministry of Agriculture, P. R, China

8^th Floor, 20^th Building, Maizidian Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100026, P. R, China

Telephone: +86-10-64194627

Fax: +86-10-64194571

E-mail: songjuguo@agri.gov.cn

 Review of China’s International Trade of Animal Products 1995-2006

The value of China’s export and import of animal products increased from USD 4.31 billion  dollars in 1995 to USD 8.27 billion  dollars in 2006, showing an obvious trend of increase at an increase rate of 6% in the period. For example, the value of total import and export in 2005 was USD 7.83 billion  dollars, 9% higher than that in previous year, of which export was USD 3.6 million, increased by 13%. The total value of import and export of animal products in 2006 was increased by 6%. The export in that year was USD 3.72 million, increased by 3%.

Table 1:  China’s Import and Export value of animal products in 1995-2006

                   USD 10000

Source: Chinese customs statistics

   Figure 1  China’s Export and Import Livestock Product Structure( 2006)

1.       The structure of export products

China has large pig and poultry industry. For recent 10 years, pig and poultry products have been very important exporting products, accounting for over 50% of the total export. Export of casing and feather together took the second place. So the export of these 4 products has been 80% of the China’s annual export of animal products, with the poultry products being the biggest export in value for the year of 1995-2003 and pig products taking over in 2004.

Table 2:  Major changes in the proportion of exports of animal products 1995-2005

                                            Units: 10,000 USD

Source: Chinese customs statistics

Export of pig products. The export has been accounting for over 20% of the total China’s export of anima products from 1995 to 2005 with only exception during the year 1999-2001.The export value in 1995 was USD 680 million dollars, USD 410 million dollars in year of 2000, and USD 960 million dollars in 2004. In 2005 the export value came down to USD 950 million dollars, accounting for 26% of livestock products exports while went up again to USD 980 million dollars in 2006.

Before 1990, China’s export was mainly live pigs, export of offal and processed pork came thereafter. The annual export had been 2-3 million heads since 1970, but was reduced in 2005 to 1.75 million head in the value of USD 227 million dollars

Processing pork and pork exports showed an upward trend. The volume of frozen pork exported reached as many as 150,000 tons at maximum or lower at 20,000 tons during 1970s and 1980s. Pork exports in 2005 was 250,000 tons with value of USD 400 million dollars, increased by 63% and 65% respectively if  compared with that in 1995. The export of processed pork reached 130,000 tons and USD 300 million dollars in value, a growth of 72% and 97% if compared with that in 1995.

Export of poultry products. The export has been accounting for over 30% of the total China’s export of anima products with only exception during the years 1995, 2004 and 2005. The export value in 1995 was USD 780 million dollars, USD 1.06 billion dollars in 2001, and then reduced to USD 650 million dollars in 2004. In 2005 and 2006, the export value picked up increase again to 910 million and USD 930 million dollars respectively, accounting for 25% of China’s livestock products exports

Processed poultry showed a rapid increase in exports while live birds, poultry meat and offal declined. In 2005 exports of processed poultry reached 216,000 tons and USD 680 million dollars in value, accounting for 74% of the total poultry products exported, increased by 15 times and 19 times respectively if compared to that in 1995. Live poultry exported were mainly those chickens of yellow feather which was often at higher prices. The quantity was about 20 million birds annually before 1980, and was increased to 47.8 million in 1990, and 53.8 million in 1996. The export value also increased from 90 million to USD 120 million dollars. 2005 was exceptional with only 25 million birds exported, in the value of USD 40 million dollars. The offal and meat export in the same was 150,000 tons and USD 190 million dollars in value.

Casing. The export in recent years showed rapid increase. In 2005 the export reached 64,000 tons with USD 510 million dollars in value, increased by 40% and 82% respectively if compared with that in 1995.

Feathers. In recent years, exports have increased rapidly. The export in 2005 was 37,000 tons and USD 360 million dollars in value, accounting for 10% of the total exports of animal products, representing an increased of 39% and 23% respectively if compared with that in 1995. The export value in 2006 was USD 310 million dollars, of which mainly were down. The export of down was 37,000 tons with value of USD 360 million dollars, accounting for 99.7% of the total feather and down export in the year.

Cattle products.  Exports were USD 180 million dollars, accounting for about 5% of the total export of livestock product.

Other products. In recent years, the high demand for rabbit hair and hike in international market drove the export of rabbit products to increase significantly. China’s export of poultry eggs declined.

Table 3  Export of Major livestock Products (2005)

Unit：  USD10000、%

Source: Chinese customs statistics

                                        Table 4  China’s major livestock products export (2006)                                      

Unit： USD10000、%

Source: Chinese customs statistics

2. Major export markets

The main export markets are Japan, Hong Kong, the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, South Korea and North Korea. China’s livestock product export annually to Japan was USD 900 million dollars during 1995-1999; accounting for 32% of the total export while to Hong Kong was USD 600-800 million dollars, accounting for 25% of the total. The export value to only Japan and Hong Kong in 2005 was over 50% of the total export value while the export value in 2006 accounted for 1/3 and 1/5 of the total. The export to USA was USD 150 million annually, accounting for 6% of the total during 1995-1999, but that was increased to USD 180-320 million dollars, accounting for 7-10%. The export to Germany was USD 210 million dollars in 1995 and reduced to USD 180 million dollars in 2005, accounting for 5% of the total. The export to both South Korea and North Korea jointly accounted for 6% of the total.

Pig and pig products

Mainly exported to Hong Kong and Japan, with export value of USD 420 million dollars and USD 200 million dollars respectively, accounting for 44% and 20 % of the total export of pig products. The export to these two markets jointly accounts for 65% of the total.

Poultry Products

Mainly exported to Japan and Hong Kong, with export value of 600 USD million dollars and USD 190 million dollars, accounting for 66% and 20 % of the China’s export of poultry products respectively. The export to these two markets jointly accounts for 86% of the total.

Feather and down

Mainly exported to the United States and Japan, with export value of USD 150 million dollars and USD 90 million dollars respectively, accounting for 41% and 25% of the China’s export of feather and downs. The export to these two countries jointly accounts for 66% of the total

Beef Products

Mainly exported to Japan and Hong Kong, with export value of USD 70 million dollars and USD 60 million dollars respectively, accounting for 41% and 25% of the China’s export of beef products. The export to these two markets jointly accounts for 72% of the total

Bee products

Mainly exported to Japan and the United States, with export value of USD 60 million dollars and USD 30 million dollars, accounting for 53% and 23% of the China’s export of bee products respectively. The export to these two countries jointly accounts for 77% of the total

egg products

Mainly exported to Hong Kong and Japan, with export value of USD 49.2 million dollars and USD 10 million dollars, accounting for 65% and 13% of the China’s export of poultry egg products. The export to these two markets jointly accounts for 79% of the total.

Table 5  Exporting Markets (1999-2005)

                                    ( USD 10,000)

Source: Chinese customs statistics

Table 6  Top ten exporting markets for China’s livestock products (2006)

USD10000, % 

Source: Chinese customs statistics

  3. Major Markets in 2006

Japan Export to Japan was USD 1.26 billion dollars, an increase of 7% if compared with previous year, mainly were poultry and pig products. The volume of poultry products exported was 206,000 tons, in the value of USD 650 million dollars, 9% and 7% respectively more than the previous year. The export of poultry products alone accounted for over 50% of China’s total export to Japan. The volume of pig products was 79,000 tons in the value of USD 230 million dollars, increased by 15% and 17% respectively than the previous year, accounting for 18% of the total livestock export to Japan.

Hong Kong  Export to Hong Kong in 2006 was USD 820 million dollars, an increase of 3% if compared with previous year, mainly were pig and poultry products. The value of pig and pig products exported was USD 430 million dollars, of which live pig was USD 210 million dollars and 1.6 million heads of live pigs, 3% and 1% respectively less than the previous year. The export of processed pork products was 130,000 tons in the value of USD 220 million dollars, with an increase of 14% and 8% respectively if compared with that in the previous year. The export value of poultry and poultry products was USD 200 million dollars, of which USD 20 million dollars from 16.2 million live birds. The export of processed poultry was 129,000 tons in the value of USD 170 million dollars, 11% and 9% increase than the previous year respectively.

the United States  Export to the United States in 2006 was USD 290 million dollars, a decrease by 10% than the last year. Mainly were feather and down with quantity of 16,000 tons and in the value of USD 120 million dollars, decreased by 26% and 20% respectively if compared with that in the last year.

4. Export promotion

Strengthening animal disease prevention and control. In 2005 the central government has promulgated the "National contingency plan for highly pathogenic avian influenza" and the "National emergency response for significant animal epidemics", which effectively regulate activities to deal with any outbreak of animal diseases. This has brought nation’s control of animal diseases to a new level. Chinese government also accelerated the construction specific disease free zone to further reduce the avian influenza and some animal disease on livestock exports.

Enhanced quality control. State quality control departments intensified the supervision on the source of animal production, and actively promoted export production model of "leading enterprises + production base", called for exporting enterprises to establish a standardized management system for production base. They also applied inspection record management system for exporting enterprises. The government has also established a labeling and recall system in order to trace back to every process of the production and export, enhancing quality control on the various components of the production and processing. The quality control and inspection departments of the government have the exporting enterprises registered and strengthened daily inspection work, and standardize the management of the export batches to ensure the quality and safety of export products and their traceability.

Currently, all the livestock product exporting enterprises have been registered and approved exports food hygiene qualifications; Majority of enterprises has been also registered in importing countries. Products with popular brand names have been increasing. Improvement of quality and safety of exporting livestock product has ensured the increase of the quantity.