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Smithfield Foods said China was no longer a viable market for its U.S. pork under the tariff conditions reported on April 29, 2025. The company’s executives described a business decision to redirect sales—not a halt to all U.S. pork trade with China. The rates and sales figures below are historical, not confirmed current figures.
Why did Smithfield consider China unviable?
The tariffs reported in April 2025 raised the cost of selling U.S. pork in China enough that Smithfield said the market no longer made commercial sense for its business. Donovan Owens, president of Smithfield’s fresh pork business, told Reuters: “China, at 145%, is not a viable sales market for us at the moment.” CEO Shane Smith said the company had to pivot its business “with China no longer essentially being available.”
Reuters reported two different tariff figures, which should not be treated as interchangeable: industry data put the effective duty rate on U.S. pork at 172%, while Owens cited 145% when describing Smithfield’s assessment. The report does not explain the calculation or product-level differences behind the figures. They describe the conditions reported in April 2025, not a verified rate today. Reuters’ report, republished by Investing.com, is the source for these statements.
What did the China business mean for Smithfield?
China was a meaningful destination, but it represented about 3% of Smithfield’s sales, according to CEO Shane Smith as quoted by Reuters. The company’s China trade also included variety meats such as pig stomachs, hearts, and heads—not just the familiar retail cuts U.S. shoppers typically see. Reuters said Smithfield had previously viewed China as its best market for variety meats, products that many U.S. consumers generally do not eat.
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The broader U.S. trade was larger than Smithfield’s own business there: U.S. government data cited by Reuters put U.S. pork-product exports to China at about $1.1 billion in 2024. That figure does not establish how much of those exports came from Smithfield.
How could Smithfield redirect sales?
Smithfield said it had other outlets for its products. Reuters reported that the company exported to more than 30 countries and that exports accounted for 13% of sales in the prior year. Those figures provide context for the company’s ability to shift business, but they do not identify which destinations could absorb the China-bound products or compare tariffs and demand by country.
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As Smith said, “While it’s important, we do believe we have other options.” The company’s comments describe its response at the time; they do not establish where those products went afterward or what Smithfield’s current China strategy is.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known—and not known—about the situation now?
The cited report records executives’ remarks and attributed figures on April 29, 2025. It does not establish tariff rates or Smithfield’s strategy as of October 2026. No current tariff source or later company statement is established here, so the 145% and 172% figures should be read only as report-era descriptions, not as today’s rates. The article also does not explain the gap between those figures or rank alternative export markets.
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