Asia brings in the catch

SIGNS point to growth for Asia’s seafood industry, which is casting a wider net to meet worldwide demand. The region is both a largeproducer/exporter and buyer of seafood products. The ASEAN alone accounts for about 50% of global seafood production. Consumption is driven by the shift to healthy lifestyles and a growing middle class in the East and Southeast Asia.

Globally, shrimp, along with salmon, groundfish and tuna, is high on the menu. Available data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization show that shrimp accounts for about 15% of the total value of internationally traded fish products, whilst salmon represents 12%. Groundfish (fish that swim near the bottom of the body of water they inhabit such as cod, hake, haddock and Alaska pollock), constitute 11%, and tuna, 8%.

Current estimates put fisheries as providing 16% of the world population’s protein. Edible species of fish, however, are not the only ones driving orders for fish and marine products. With traditional Chinese medicine holding its own, demand is kept strong for sea horse, starfish and sea cucumber. The continued use of pigment such as Tyrian purple and sepia ensures a market for marine snails and cuttlefish. Demand is also strong for fish glue, which is used on practically all products; isinglass for clarification of wine and beer; as well as fish emulsion, fish meal, seaweed/kelp meal, and liquid seaweed/kelp, which are considered some of the most powerful natural fertilizers and soil amendments in the world.

China: Riding on high waves
China dominates as it has done so since 2002. Its 1Q 2013 figures estimate the mainland’s surplus in aquatic products at US$2.09 billion, or a year-on-year increase of 15.8%. Japan remains its top export market followed by Hong Kong. The ASEAN is now its third biggest client. Industry insiders say that more good news is expected from this sector especially as China enjoys free trade with ASEAN. The United States has slipped from second to fourth largest export market.

Statistics on imports and exports of aquatic products for the same period was pegged at 1.93 million tonnes, whilst total value reached $6.61 billion. Exports were up 4.5% at 901,500 tonnes and 12.6% in worth or $4.60 billion.

Exports of general trade or non-processed products grew to 595,800 tonnes worth $3.385 billion. Despite a dip in its share of processing trade, China is reportedly becoming the world’s processing centre for mackerel, salmon, cod and herring. Processing trade is said to be on the rise particularly in Shandong and Liaoning.

Thailand: Perfect location
Thailand is the biggest seafood producer and exporter in Asia. Its geographical location gives it an advantage, having a coastline of about 2,600 km. The marine fishing grounds in the Gulf of Thailand and in the Andaman Sea, within Thailand’s Exclusive Economic Zone, cover a total area of about 316,000 km2, and its inland waters cover approximately 3,750 km2. Also serving as added boon is the suitability of about one million hectares of coastal area for coastal aquaculture.

Thailand’s seafood exports now stand at $5 billion with the bulk going to the United States, which accounts for 36.4% of the value ($1.8 billion), and Japan at 28.4% ($1.43 billion). Other top markets are Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Germany, South Korea, China and France. Shrimp is its main ticket to these markets, accounting to just under half of all exports. Selections include white shrimp (Penaeous vannamei), black tiger shrimp (P. monodon) aNike Ambassador 10