The launch of two new freight routes to Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Manila, the capital of the Philippines, will increase the flow of shrimp into the central Chinese city of Changsha, according to local government figures.
Xu Xiang Ping, head of the municipal commerce bureau, a government office, was speaking at the first “China International Fishery Air Silk Road” forum at a major trade fair for catering and restaurant suppliers in Changsha. The Silk Road is a reference to China’s ambitions to increase transport links and to integrate regional economies into its orbit.
Changsha has imported USD 25 million (EUR 21.2 million) worth of seafood imports on the flights since they were launched two months ago, according to Xu. Changsha is in a major freshwater aquaculture region, and its seafood exports totaled USD 12 million (EUR 10.2 million) over the two-month period, according to Xu. Bangladesh is a supplier of shrimp, while China has sought tropical fish, tuna, and sea cucumber in the Philippines.
A large number of Canadian seafood firms took booths at the Changsha expo. Among them were Clearwater and the newly established “French Kiss” oyster brand, which is targeting sales to China’s wealthy urbanites.
Photo courtesy of SF Airlines
