“New Zealand exports are unlikely to face restraint under the arrangements.”
McClay said the outcome reflected strong engagement between New Zealand and China throughout the investigation process.
“It sees a better outcome than some countries who now face a reduction in access,” he said.
“I’ve been able to make the case to my Chinese counterparts on three occasions last year that New Zealand exporters are not harming the Chinese beef market and therefore should not be adversely affected by safeguard measures.
“Our quota allocation means beef exports under the China NZ free trade agreement are in practice unaffected.”
McClay said the Government worked hard to ensure the measures applied reflected the strength of the trade partnership between the two countries.
“While any new restriction is disappointing, this quota is larger than our recent export volumes and means that exporters can continue trading without additional tariffs.”
China is New Zealand’s second-largest beef market after the United States.
“New Zealand beef exporters can have confidence in the Chinese market, where demand for high-quality, safe food products continues to grow,” McClay said.
In the 12 months to November 2025, 19% of New Zealand’s beef exports by value, $961 million, went to China, representing approximately 4% of China’s total beef imports.
China brought in a total of 2.6 million tonnes of beef to November last year, according to customs data.
Brazil is likely to be one of the hardest-hit countries, as China accounts for nearly half of its total beef exports.
The South American nation could lose up to US$3b ($5.21b) in revenue in 2026 as a result of the new policy, the country’s Association of Refrigerated Meat Packers said.
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