Sheep meat in China and the opportunities for New Zealand

Abstract

In 2012, China replaced the United Kingdom as the most important destination by volume for New Zealand sheep meat. In this article we explain the reasons behind the increased demand, and look at what the future might bring. Main issues relate to degradation of the Chinese grasslands, the high opportunity cost of raising sheep on arable land, increased consumer demand for sheep meat, and the challenge of moving from commodity sales to consumer-ready products.