China’s seafood exports topped USD 10 billion last year for the first time, up from USD 9 billion in 2007, despite the global economic slowdown and the country’s appreciating currency.
New figures recently published on the Web site ChinaSeafood.com also showed some provinces recording major increases.
In the southern island province of Hainan, exports from its capital of Haikou grew 76 percent to USD 240,000 million, with more than 20 companies now exporting tilapia and shrimp. The figures also show the remarkable recovery from the last winter’s harsh winter weather, which decimated tilapia farms.
Tilapia exports from Hainan grew 70 percent, mainly to the United States and Russia.
Seafood exports from South-east Fujian province increased by 7.4 percent to $1.12 billion.
The export growth was not restricted to southern provinces. Eastern China’s Jiangsu province recorded a 35 percent increase in the value of its seafood exports, to USD 1 billion.
North-east Liaoning and Shandong remain the largest seafood exporting provinces, though they showed little or no growth in 2008.
Overall, exports of eel, lobster and tilapia recorded the largest increase nationwide.
