China has alternatives for beef, barley imports but trade dispute could ‘kill Australian farmers’
- China is set to impose a devastating 80 per cent tariff on Australia’s barley imports, while it has also banned imports from four major Australian meat processing plants
- Chinese importers are looking for alternatives in Canada, Brazil, Germany, Denmark, and Russia, although they are not as worried about the short term impact
An Australian native working for a brewery in Shanghai has found himself in the middle of the developing trade dispute between China and Australia, although he is not yet hitting the panic button about the potential Chinese tariffs on barley imports.
It then doubled down by suspending beef imports from four major Australian meat processing plants just days later, with suggestions it is related to Canberra’s instance on an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus outbreak.
“It could impact us quite badly as we buy Australian barley and malt, and process them in China where it is cheaper,” the brewer, who did not want to be named due to trade sensitivities, said.
If it doesn’t, it will kill the farmers in Australia … looking for other sourcing won’t hurt local companies, but the Australian economy could hurt
“[Other sources] are something we have to look at, but Canada would be able to supply us. Ideally we won’t have to as we are hoping it will all blow over as it has in the past.