A senior official in China’s Agricultural Ministry has sought to ease public fears in China over a seafood supply shortage.
The ministry’s deputy head of fishery market regulation, Jiang Kai Yong, provided assurances in a press briefing that stockpiles of seafood are still flowing into China’s cities. In his comments, Jian said he hoped to instill more calm in China’s consumer market.
“There is no shortage. There is five million tons of [live seafood] product ready in the 12 biggest seafood producing regions to be sent to market. This will satisfy all consumer demands,” Jian said.
However, in the first 10 days of February, China experienced a 90 percent year-on-year drop in sales volumes in 45 wholesale seafood markets across the country, according to Jiang. As of 17 February, volumes were at 25 percent of this time last year, he explained.
However, prices have remained steady compared to February 2019, Jiang said, even in Wuhan, Hubei Province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, which also serves as a major freshwater aquaculture production zone.
“Key species like carp are all stable,” he said. “Even in Hubei Province, the difference in price between this year and last year is not great.”
Jiang urged Chinese consumers to support the country’s shrimp and tilapia processors by buying products from farmers in southern provinces like Guangdong and Hainan. And he said the government would do its part to maintain stability in the sector.
“We are organizing low-interest loans and tax relief through the provincial governments,” Jiang said. Cold-chain logistics firms will also be entitled to supports, he added, suggesting the details will be handled at the local government level.
In an unusual move earlier this week, three government departments issued a letter to local authorities around the country to tell them to open roads and transport links to vehicles transporting seafood and agricultural products. The ministries of agriculture, transport, and the National Development and Reform Commission cautioned officials to unblock roads to allow trucks to get to market.
Meanwhile popular commentator “Sha Mo Gu Lang” (Desert Lone Wolf), who writes for a following of millions on Weibo, has singled out Indonesia for criticism over its ban on imports of Chinese fisheries products. Even though other countries, including Russia, have implemented similar bans on imported Chinese foodstuffs, Jakarta was bashed by the columnist for failing to be a “true friend” to China.
The columnist praised Iran, Russia, and Pakistan for being “real friends” of China and blamed Indonesia’s decision on American interference, suggesting the United States is “jealous” of China’s success.
Indonesia has become a major market for low-priced Chinese frozen seafood, even as the country has grown its exports of shrimp and premium wild seafood to China.
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