Russia remains the biggest supplier of seafood to China, data from China General Administration of Customs for the first half of 2017 revealed.
Russia accounted for 15.4 percent of China’s overall seafood imports in the period, selling 620,100 tons worth USD 785 million (EUR 667 million) – a rise of 16.8 percent and 13.2 percent, respectively, over the same period last year.
Shipments from Peru rose 70.1 percent in volume, to 460,000 tons, and 63.2 percent in value, to total USD 717 million (EUR 609 million). Peru accounts for 14.1 percent of overall Chinese seafood imports, but this figure includes fishmeal.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) accounted for 12.26 percent of China’s imports in the first half of 2017, totaling 289,000 tons worth USD 625 million (EUR 531 million) – down five percent and up 0.93 percent, respectively.
Norway, meanwhile, saw its export volumes rise 29.7 percent to 95,700 tons while, in value terms, the country’s seafood shipments to China were worth USD 208 million (EUR 177 million), up 26.7 percent. That gave Norway a 4.09 percent market share, behind Chile, which took a 5.3 percent share of China’s imports in the first six months of the year. Chile saw its volumes rise four percent to 87,900 tons worth USD 271 million (EUR 230 million), an increase of 23.8 percent.
The United States took a 10.9 percent share of China’s import market in the first half of 2017 but volumes and value seem flat: the U.S. shipped 209,800 tons worth USD 559 million (EUR 474 million) – down 1.9 percent and up 1.8 percent, respectively.
