China ends two-year ban on Argentina poultry imports

China has lifted a two-year ban on poultry imports from Argentina, reopening a key supply channel amid a tit-for-tat trade war with the United States that has led to steep tariffs on US poultry.

Argentina suspended poultry exports in February 2023 after detecting Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in commercial poultry, prompting China to impose a ban in March of that year.

Imports of poultry and related products from the South American producer will be allowed from March 17 following a risk analysis, the General Administration of Customs said in a statement dated March 17.

Prior to the import ban, Argentina was China's third-largest supplier of chicken products, according to US Department of Agriculture data.

The lifting comes amid a trade standoff between Beijing and Washington. China has imposed a 15 percent import duty on US chicken as part of tariffs covering US$21 billion (HK$163.8 billion) worth of American agricultural and food products.

The US was China's third largest meat supplier last year after Brazil and Argentina, accounting for 590,000 tons or 9 percent of total imports.

REUTERS