(Kamaboko is a typical traditional fish surimi product well established in the Japanese diet. Kamaboko makers are major customers of surimi from the Alaska pollock producers.)
Suzuki, also president of Suzuhiro Kamaboko Co., a major kamaboko producer, said there is still a potential for the growth of sales of kamaboko in Japan.
The most important task now facing kamaboko makers in Japan is to uncover new demand for surimi products, especially among young consumers amid the current trend toward an aging society in Japan.
As the goal for fiscal 2012, the Kamaboko Association will step up sales promotion and publicity in a bid to boost demand for surimi products in the consumer market.
It will also strive to ensure stable procurement of raw material surimi both in domestically and overseas.
As a specific step to be taken to prop up the kamaboko market, Suzuki emphasized that the industry should make effort to let general consumers know the close linkage between kamaboko and good-quality protein--a fact not yet widely appreciated in Japan.
He suggested that all makers should indicate in their all the products that kamaboko is rich in high-quality protein.
If all of the kamaboko makers throughout Japan—numbering around 900-- take this approach, publicity on the good health effects of kamoboko will certainly be much enhanced, he said.
Suzuki also said the association should strain its wit on how to expand the use of kamaboko in wider varieties of cuisine.
The association has so far accumulated huge amount of knowledge on the functionality of kamaboko. How effectively the industry can utilize this reserve of knowledge will be the key to activate demand for kamaboko and other surimi products, Suzuki said.
(Based on the Nikkan Suisan Keizai Shimbun)
(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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