Aquatic products accounted for one quarter of China's farm produce
export last year, making the sector a really big fish in the small
pond of the country's agricultural foreign trade, the Ministry of
Agriculture said yesterday.
The outcome is derived from the country's sustained efforts to
explore the global market and tighten its product quality control,
said Yang Jian, director of the ministry's Fisheries Bureau.
Yang said more than 2.08 million tons of Chinese fish and fishery
products, valued at US$4.69 billion, swam out to the world market
last year, contributing the most to the country's agricultural
exports, which hit US$18.14 billion.
The bulk of the sales came from domestic production, although 36
per cent were created by reprocessing imported raw material,
indicated the latest bureau statistics.
"By closely monitoring and suiting the needs of the world market,
we have continuously developed new varieties and competitive
products for export," Yang said.
In
addition to prawn, a popular Chinese species, eel and tilapia
farming has gained momentum in China, as the two species are
favoured by diners around the world, according to the official.
As
a result, China remained the world's largest eel exporter last
year, and exports of tilapia fish jumped from 473 tons in 1998 to
32,000 tons in 2002, according to the bureau sources.
The smooth flow of Chinese fish to the streams of foreign market
was partly facilitated by the country's strict compliance with
advanced quality standards, Yang said.
For example, roast eel was exported to Japan in line with
importers' specifications, and frozen shelled shrimps were produced
in accordance with Codex Alimentarius Commission standards.
Yang said Chinese aquatic processors have applied the Hazard
Analysis Critical Control Points, a popular international method of
approaching the management of chemical, physical and biological
hazards which harm food production.
China is currently the world's largest producer of farm-grown
aquatic products.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, in its latest
report on the world's fishery industry, said China has good
potential for increasing the share of its aquaculture products in
international markets, helped by its membership of the World Trade
Organization.
However, some industry insiders said China's seafood export
destinations are far too concentrated, which may hinder further
expansion of trade.
Last year, for example, 85 per cent of China's aquatic export
volume came from markets in Japan, the United States, the Republic
of Korea the and EU.
Industry insiders said China urgently needs to tap market potential
in other countries.
(China Daily April 26, 2003)