China has been New Zealand's largest market for red meat for some time and growth in that market is surging.
Meat Industry Association analysis of Stats NZ figures shows China accounted for 36 per cent of total red meat exports in April and sales there that month jumped 62 per cent by value from the previous April.
That's down a little from the 70 per cent year-on-year growth in the month of March, although growth in the year ended March was a slightly more sedate 47 per cent.
"It's becoming a very dominant market, but that's where the demand is at the moment - it's a bit hard to say no if you've got customers there who are prepared to pay for it," MIA policy analyst Matt Conway says.
While the New Zealand meat industry was developed to serve the British market, that accounted for just 6 per cent of exports in March and April and in the year ended March.