China stops buying Dutch lamb, beef over bluetongue concerns

China has banned the import of beef and lamb from the Netherlands due to the spread of the bluetongue disease. The official prohibition applies to all ruminant animals and products derived from them. The Asian country has also banned the import of beef and lamb products from Belgium.

Bluetongue is a very fast-spreading virus. The virus hits sheep the hardest, usually killing them. But goats and cattle can also become very ill. Midges, tiny flies, transmit the virus. Symptoms of the virus include a blue tongue, high fever, drool, and lameness. In the Netherlands, bluetongue infections have been identified in at least 2,500 livestock farms, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) reported.

For the Dutch agricultural sector, China is a rapidly growing market, yet it is not among the most significant markets for Dutch farmers. In 2021, China imported nearly 4 billion euros worth of agricultural products from the Netherlands, a significant increase from 300 million euros seven years ago. According to a report by Wageningen University last year, this meant that China accounted for 3.5 percent of all Dutch agricultural export products.

The immediate impact of the Chinese ban on Dutch farmers due to the bluetongue disease is unclear. In 2021, the primary agricultural products China purchased from the Netherlands were baby milk powder, pork, and meat industry by-products such as liver, tongue, and intestines.

The Netherlands Agricultural and Horticultural Association LTO Nederland confirmed that the country has lost its bluetongue-free status. "This complicates exports to countries outside the EU," a spokesperson said. However, the exact long-term effects on livestock exports remain "completely unclear," according to the representative of the organization.