Tough year ahead for Chinese whitefish plants

News 13:56 13/09/2014
(IntraFish) The labor situation in China is just one of the problems for whitefish processing plants this year, sources told IntraFish. Whitefish processing plants in China are being hit by rising labor costs, but this is not the main problem, said a China-based executive.

“For the factories I know, I didn’t see much trouble with labor situation -- the labor force is sufficient so far while wages are only increased a bit,” said Daniel Lin, an executive who has set up his own company, Ocean Kingdom Seafood, to supply wild-caught frozen at sea fish to the processing industry and wholesalers.

The biggest “headache” for whitefish plants in China is “weak markets and financial stress,” Lin told IntraFish.

“For factories I do business with -- I sell raw materials to them and buy fillets back -- selling terms now changed to letter of credit (L/C) at 90 days, whereas previously it was L/C 30days or up to 60 days.”

Changing to 90 days means it takes them longer to pay, so that they can have more liquidity to run their business, said Lin.

“This year’s life for Chinese whitefish processing plants will be tough,” he said. “I am only optimistic about the Middle East and Africa markets -- these countries’ economies are strong, thanks to their strong resource and commodity exports.”

However, it is clear that the labor situation is a problem for plants in China.

"Regard the labor cost in China, it’s the same story for the past two to three years," said Xiaohui Luo, operations manager with Chang International, which operates plants in Qingdao, China.

"I think the cost will go higher, but by how much I don’t know. However I think the bigger factor is there may not be enough workers willing to work in this industry even if they can get a little higher pay than some other industries," he told IntraFish

"Obviously plants will not break the bank to pay the workers. The lack of workers could have a bigger impact on the overall productivity from Chinese plants, on all items not only for whitefish species," he said.

Seafood processing companies with plants in China might see the tightening labor situation as reason to leave the country, sources told IntraFish.

China seafood processor Yantai  Longwin saw an estimated 20 percent drop in worker numbers over the past year, said its managing director Eric Wang.

Some factories might already have plans to move their operations to Vietnam and Cambodia if the situation persists, said Alvin Loy, director of Singapore-based Fish International Sourcing House, which has a processing facility in China.

While incentives such as providing free food and lodging could ensure that workers stay, Loy told IntraFish that if the labor shortage situation worsens in the next few years, the Chinese government even might have to allow foreign workers to come into the country.

Foreign companies which operate joint venture plants in China, such as High Liner Foods and Royal Greenland, are looking at setting up plants in Vietnam.

Toyota Tsusho Foods, the food division of the Japanese giant, recently announced it is moving its seafood processing to The Philippines.

Bạn đang đọc bài viết Tough year ahead for Chinese whitefish plants tại chuyên mục News của Hiệp hội VASEP

TIN MỚI CẬP NHẬT

Vietnam shrimp industry accelerates toward $4 billion target

 |  08:38 08/11/2024

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three quarters of 2024, brackish water shrimp production exceeded 1.1 million tons, with export revenue reaching $2.8 billion. The seafood industry has set a target of $4 billion for shrimp exports for the entire year.

Eearning trillions of VND from shrimp heads and fish tails

 |  09:01 07/11/2024

While the price of 1 kg of shrimp hovers around 20 USD, the value of 1 kg of chitosan—extracted from shrimp—can soar to 500 USD. This highlights a significant challenge within the seafood processing industry.

Vietnam's shrimp exports surge at year-end

 |  09:03 05/11/2024

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) By October, Vietnam's shrimp exports had generated nearly $3 billion, reflecting an increase of over 10% compared to the same period last year. Shrimp remains the leading commodity contributing to the export turnover of the entire seafood industry.

Navico and FIMEX VN achieve outstanding business results in Q3/2024

 |  08:45 04/11/2024

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sao Ta Foods Joint Stock Company (FIMEX VN - HoSE: FMC) concluded Q3/2024 with significant growth in revenue. Specifically, Sao Ta Food recorded revenue of VND 2,845 billion, a 58.6% increase year-on-year. The company's profit after tax reached VND 95 billion, up 6.2%.

VASEP releases Seafood Export Report for the first nine months of 2024 and year-end forecast

 |  10:06 01/11/2024

VASEP's Seafood Export Report for the third quarter of 2024 provides a comprehensive overview of Vietnam's seafood export performance in the first nine months, with impressive results reaching $7.2 billion—an increase of 9% over the same period last year. In the third quarter alone, seafood exports grew by 15%, totaling $2.8 billion. This growth is attributed to a recovery in demand and prices in key markets such as the U.S. and China, as well as the competitive advantage of value-added products in markets like Japan and Australia.

Khanh Hoa pioneers electronic traceability system for captured seafood

 |  08:48 31/10/2024

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Khánh Hòa province is currently leading the way in implementing Electric Catch Documentation and Traceability System (eCDTs).

Vietnamese shrimp asserts its quality in the EU market

 |  08:46 31/10/2024

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The European Union, with its stringent quality requirements, has become an attractive destination for the shrimp industry of many countries, including Vietnam. Vietnamese shrimp meeting EU export standards not only increases product value but also solidifies Vietnam's position in the global seafood market.

Vietnam’s shrimp exports reach $2.8 billion in the first three quarters

 |  15:40 30/10/2024

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's shrimp exports accounted for the highest export value among all seafood products in the first nine months of the year, reaching nearly $2.8 billion, a 10.5% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Bến Tre Province: Intensive shrimp farming models yield high efficiency

 |  15:38 30/10/2024

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the Ben Tre Statistics Department, the province’s aquaculture sector has been relatively stable and has experienced growth recently, particularly due to the high efficiency of intensive shrimp farming models.

Vietnamese seafood enterprises report positive developments

 |  15:39 29/10/2024

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the third quarter, several Vietnamese seafood companies announced strong financial results, showcasing resilience and growth in a challenging market.

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