China's demand for live/fresh seafood increased

News 09:36 16/10/2023 Kim Thu
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Statistics from China Customs show that, in the first 8 months of 2023, the country imported over 85 thousand tons of fresh/live seafood, an increase of 16% over the same period in 2022. Average prices also increased by 15% over the same period last year. The above parameters show that China's domestic consumption in the fresh/live seafood segment has clearly recovered after the Chinese Government lifted restrictions related to the Covid epidemic.

The most imported and consumed fresh seafood species in China include: salmon, shrimp, flounder, bluefin tuna, eel, pomfret, mussels, oysters, jack fish, abalone, yellow croaker , sea cucumbers, clams... Among them, the largest proportion is salmon with nearly 56 thousand tons, accounting for 65%.

In addition, China also imported a significant amount of ornamental fish, with 281 thousand tons, an increase of 60%. In general, this market consumes more fresh/live fish than shrimp, crab and mollusks...

Leading among fresh/live seafood suppliers to China is Norway with its strength in fresh/chilled salmon. Chile ranks 2nd, and is also in the top 2 salmon suppliers to China. Other top suppliers include Myanmar, Australia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Faroes Islands, England, Japan...

Japan supplies flounder, bluefin tuna, mackerel, mackerel, plaice, jack fish, oysters, scallops, and fresh/live sea cucumbers to the Chinese market. China has officially banned Japanese seafood after Japan released radioactive water into the sea since the end of August. This has eliminated a significant portion of fresh/live seafood supply from Japan, so China will have to increase imports from other sources of supply. At the same time, after this event, China increasingly tightened inspection of the origin of imported seafood products.

Vietnam only accounts for a very modest market share, 0.2% of China's total fresh/live seafood import volume in the first 8 months of this year. However, compared to the same period in 2022, import volume from Vietnam increased dramatically by 446% and average price also increased by 184%. Vietnam's live aquatic species exported to China are mainly ornamental fish, grouper, lobster, tiger shrimp...

Shanghai, Guangdong, and Yunnan are the top 3 provinces that import the most fresh/live aquatic products, accounting for 39%, 16% and 11% of China's total import volume in the first 8 months of the year.

Except for the period of restriction due to the Covid epidemic, China has always been a large and potential seafood consumption market because of its large population and increasing per capita income. Per capita seafood consumption in China has increased tenfold in 40 years: from 5 kg in 1980 to 14.4 kg in 1993, 37.9 kg in 2013 and 54 kg in 2020. Seafood demand concentrated mainly in big cities, where on average people buy seafood 3-4 times/month, especially in Shanghai people buy seafood on average 11 times/month.

China's economic growth has reached a rate of 6.3% in the second quarter of 2023 and forecasts for GDP growth in 2023 and 2024 are quite optimistic, increasing by 5.1% and 4.6% respectively. Those indicators show that in the coming time, China will certainly be the target market of many seafood exporting countries, including Vietnam. Competition in this market will become increasingly hot, but with geographical advantage, Vietnamese seafood can gain a higher market share in the fresh/live/chilled seafood segment for domestic consumption in China. At the same time, it is also necessary to diversify processed products for the new consumption trends of modern youth in China.

Bạn đang đọc bài viết China's demand for live/fresh seafood increased tại chuyên mục News của Hiệp hội VASEP
china japan

TIN MỚI CẬP NHẬT

VSS2026: The US$1.7 billion gap and Vietnam’s seafood growth challenge towards 2029

 |  17:41 10/11/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?

Vietnamese tuna bucks the import trend in Germany

 |  08:46 07/11/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.

VSS2026: Seafood exports top USD 10.4 billion in 10 months – how should seafood businesses prepare for 2027?

 |  08:26 05/11/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.

Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026: From market forecasts to answers for 2027–2029 growth

 |  17:17 31/10/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.

Vietnamese seafood affirms its position at the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo 2026

 |  12:42 29/10/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.

Vietnam’s tilapia exports to CPTPP grow strongly but remain small in scale

 |  08:09 28/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.

Five key questions facing the seafood industry to be discussed at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026

 |  14:58 22/10/2026

(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.

Vietnam’s shrimp exports face market volatility at year-end

 |  16:43 21/10/2026

(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.

Vietnam’s seafood industry in 2027–2029: Where will new growth opportunities come from?

 |  14:56 19/10/2026

(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.

Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the middle east recover, but growth remains uneven

 |  16:04 15/10/2026

(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 - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM

Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội

Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO

Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu

Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông

Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn

Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh

Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn

VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn

© Copyright 2020 - Mọi hình thức sao chép phải được sự chấp thuận bằng văn bản của VASEP

DANH MỤC