10.) Environmental taxes kick in
As part of an unexpectedly vigorous improvement in enforcement of its environmental laws, as of 1 January, 2018, China has introduced a new levy on pollution caused by animal husbandry. This follows a major clear-out of pig farms in water-sensitive regions in 2017 in an effort to reduce water pollution.
The new tax doesn’t specifically refer to aquaculture, but it will be interesting to see how the law is used against fish and shrimp farms in areas with large aquaculture. This could have major implications in the long-run for pricing and supply.
