The U.S. market appears to be growing strongly again for Chinese processors, but Asia is rapidly becoming the top destination for seaood processed in China.
Data from 2017 from the key seafood processing region of Liaoning, which includes the port city of Dalian, reveal that Asia has increasingly become a target for Chinese processors.
Liaoning’s total exports, at 850,000 metric tons (MT), were up 16.6 percent year-on-year and up nine percent in value terms to USD 2.96 billion (EUR 2.4 billion), according to the regional branch of the Ocean and Fisheries Bureau, a government agency.
The value of Liaoning’s exports to Asia, at USD 1.34 billion (EUR 1.09 billion), rose 5.1 percent in 2017, while shipments to the U.S.A. rose 16.2 percent to USD 813 million (EUR 658.6 million). Exports to the European Union went up 2.7 percent to USD 544 million (EUR 440.7 million).
Imports for contract processing totaled 400,000 MT worth USD 1.7 billion (EUR 1.38) – increases of 4.6 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively. This segment accounted for 60.2 percent of overall exports in value terms.
Exports of what’s termed “normal” or unprocessed seafood – largely shellfish, cuttlefish, squid, and seaweed – rose 3.8 percent in volume to 300,260 MT, representing 6.1 percent rise in value to USD 1.064 billion (EUR 862 million).
The numbers reveal that Chinese policy blueprints like the “One Belt, One Road” initiative appear to be working in their aim to build infrastructure across Asia to open markets for exports.
