China lifts two-year ban on poultry imports from Argentina

China has lifted a two-year ban on poultry imports from Argentina, reopening a key supply channel amid a trade war with the United States that has led to high tariffs on American agricultural products.

Argentina suspended poultry exports in February 2023 after the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in commercial birds, prompting China to impose a ban in March of the same year.

China’s General Administration of Customs said imports of poultry and related products from the American producer were allowed from March 17 after an unspecified risk analysis.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, Argentina was China’s third-largest supplier of chicken products before the import ban.

The lifting of the poultry import ban comes amid a trade standoff between Beijing and Washington. China has imposed a 15% import tariff on US chickens as part of tariffs covering $21 billion worth of US agricultural and food products.

It is noted that in 2024 the United States was the third largest supplier of meat to China after Brazil and Argentina, which accounted for 590,000 tons or 9% of total imports.

As a reminder, on March 10, Chinese tariffs of 15% on a number of US agricultural goods came into effect, which could escalate the trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies.

Tags: China, Argentina