Exports to China: meat down, dairy up

Dutch agrifood exports to China fell by 9% in 2024, amounting to €3.6 billion. The decline was mainly due to lower exports of infant formula (-11%) and meat (-17%). Transit trade in wood also dropped sharply by 79%. Exports of infant formula totalled €1.5 billion, influenced by declining birth rates in China and a loss of market share to New Zealand. Dairy products such as cheese, cream, and butter, on the other hand, recorded an export increase of 11%.

The meat market is currently facing an anti-dumping investigation by China into EU pork. Higher pork prices in China softened the blow during the first half of the year, but exports still ended 17% lower than in 2023. After two years of high volumes, wood exports plummeted to €22 million. As of 1 January 2025, no further export certificates for wood will be issued.

Export categories on the rise

At the same time, other export streams showed growth. Exports of other food products rose from €244 million to €307 million. Exports of machinery for the food industry increased by nearly 15%, reaching over €100 million. Notably, veterinary vaccines appeared as a new export category, generating more than €42 million in 2024, whereas no exports were recorded two years earlier. In contrast, exports of complete greenhouses fell sharply, down 65% over two years, while China imported more components such as trusses.

Slight increase in imports from China

Imports of agrifood products from China rose by 8%, reaching €2.9 billion. Notable is the halving of oil and fat imports over the past two years. Imports of tobacco and e-cigarettes also declined by 22%, partly due to the flavour ban. In contrast, imports of ginger (+69%) and garlic (+27%) rose sharply. Imports of animal feed increased by one-third, with organic soybeans for the livestock sector playing an important role.

Agroberichtenbuitenland.nl