Although the size of the new processors is not known, the figure offers a glimpse into China’s mushrooming surimi production and consumption.
The statistic was shared by Longsheng Aquatic Products in a presentation at the 12 surimi forum in Oregon on May 8.
Even though many of these processors could be relatively small, it is still a “shocking number,” Pascal Guenneugues, director of Future Seafood Consulting, told IntraFish.
Figures compiled by Guenneugues from industry contacts estimate that China’s surimi consumption is now at around 150,000 metric tons. Production and import figures are very hard to get by, Guenneugues said, but the country is -- very roughly -- estimated to produce around 120,000 to 130,000 metric tons, of which exports have now fallen to less than 60,000 metric tons.
This would suggest the country imports maybe around 80,000 - 90,000 metric tons of surimi.
Guenneugues has long charted the growing role of China on the global surimi market, not least linking rising surimi base prices to Chinese demand.
“The increasing number of factories and strong demand of raw material for [the Chinese] domestic market has resulted in a price increase of more than 20 percent in the second half of 2011,” Guenneugues said in his presentation at the industry forum. “Chinese imports of surimi from neighboring countries particularly Vietnam is increasing rapidly, resulting in [a] price increase in Asia for low grade surimi.”
China mainly consumes surimi made from tropical seawater fish, but the country is exploring the potential of production from freshwater fish, Guenneugues said.
“As the potential for increasing production from sea fish is limited, China surimi producers have been developing production of surimi from fresh water fish and particularly carp,” he said in his presentation. “This production is estimated today around 30,000 metric tons and growing quickly to respond to the domestic demand for more surimi raw material.”
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a volatile first half of the year, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Brazil registered robust growth in July and August 2026. In August alone, export turnover reached $19 million, surging 73% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively for the first eight months, total export value reached $124 million, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Besides modifying their boats, many fishermen in Dak Lak province are making efforts to venture out to sea to harvest seafood during the rough sea season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the Responsible Seafood Summit and TCRS Shrimp Summit 2026, organized by the GSA (Global Seafood Alliance) in Bangkok, Thailand, the conversation about the future of the shrimp industry began with one of its most important foundations: seedstock quality.
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