2022 China Fishery Products Annual
Security Theme
IUU Fishing
Keywords
China, seafood, aquaculture, production, trade, policy
Description
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) remained the world's largest seafood producer in 2022, with production estimated at 67.5 MMT, up from 66.9 MMT in 2021. Production growth continues to be driven by aquaculture production—estimated at 54.6 MMT in 2022, an increase of 1.2 percent. Estimated wild-caught production declined slightly to 12.9 MMT from 13 MMT in 2021, due to fewer resources and greater restrictions in both domestic and international waters. Seafood imports surged in 2022 to 4.1 MMT valued at U.S. $18.7 billion, up 22 percent and 35 percent, respectively, from the previous year. The increases were led by higher volumes and prices for high-value products, including frozen fish, fish fillets, and crustaceans. Though still shy of the record of 4.4 MMT imported in 2019, the increase marks a significant rebound from the relatively low 3.4 MMT imported in 2021. The uptick is likely the result of a combination of factors, including greater demand for ready-to-cook and prepared foods for home and restaurant use, strong demand for high-end seafood products, challenges in live seafood sales due to COVID restrictions and increased online sales, and marginally higher pork prices during the second half of 2022. Seafood exports in 2022 were stable, with volumes nearly unchanged and a modest 4 percent increase in value from the previous year. However, volumes remained considerably lower than in 2019, the last full pre-pandemic year. The PRC primarily exports processed seafood products and maintains a diverse set of export markets. In 2022, Japan was the largest export destination, followed by the United States and Thailand. Exports to the United States increased 5.4 percent in value but declined 4.6 percent in volume from the previous year. In December 2022, the PRC ended most restrictions put in place under its zero-COVID policy, including testing and disinfection of imported cold chain products. These disproportionately affected imported seafood. Although the PRC enters 2023 with a weakened economy, many industry sources expect demand for seafood to increase significantly in 2023. Normal activities, including travel and large events and gatherings that had been restricted for much of 2021 and 2022, are returning. The increase in demand will have implications across the industry and beyond, including the PRC’s aquaculture feed consumption, intensification of aquaculture, enforcement of measures intended to control wild-caught production, and the PRC adoption of the recent WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement.
2022 China Fishery Products Annual
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) remained the world's largest seafood producer in 2022, with production estimated at 67.5 MMT, up from 66.9 MMT in 2021. Production growth continues to be driven by aquaculture production—estimated at 54.6 MMT in 2022, an increase of 1.2 percent. Estimated wild-caught production declined slightly to 12.9 MMT from 13 MMT in 2021, due to fewer resources and greater restrictions in both domestic and international waters. Seafood imports surged in 2022 to 4.1 MMT valued at U.S. $18.7 billion, up 22 percent and 35 percent, respectively, from the previous year. The increases were led by higher volumes and prices for high-value products, including frozen fish, fish fillets, and crustaceans. Though still shy of the record of 4.4 MMT imported in 2019, the increase marks a significant rebound from the relatively low 3.4 MMT imported in 2021. The uptick is likely the result of a combination of factors, including greater demand for ready-to-cook and prepared foods for home and restaurant use, strong demand for high-end seafood products, challenges in live seafood sales due to COVID restrictions and increased online sales, and marginally higher pork prices during the second half of 2022. Seafood exports in 2022 were stable, with volumes nearly unchanged and a modest 4 percent increase in value from the previous year. However, volumes remained considerably lower than in 2019, the last full pre-pandemic year. The PRC primarily exports processed seafood products and maintains a diverse set of export markets. In 2022, Japan was the largest export destination, followed by the United States and Thailand. Exports to the United States increased 5.4 percent in value but declined 4.6 percent in volume from the previous year. In December 2022, the PRC ended most restrictions put in place under its zero-COVID policy, including testing and disinfection of imported cold chain products. These disproportionately affected imported seafood. Although the PRC enters 2023 with a weakened economy, many industry sources expect demand for seafood to increase significantly in 2023. Normal activities, including travel and large events and gatherings that had been restricted for much of 2021 and 2022, are returning. The increase in demand will have implications across the industry and beyond, including the PRC’s aquaculture feed consumption, intensification of aquaculture, enforcement of measures intended to control wild-caught production, and the PRC adoption of the recent WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement.
