The Present Situation and Trend of Chinese Trade in Aquatic product
Chen Lansun
(Shanghai Fisheries University 200090)
Fish Production
and Consumption in China
Abstract
Chinese fishery production style begins to be converted from scale production to quality benefit after the essence of Agriculture Department’s Notice on Further Accelerating the Fishery Development, Ratified by State Council was completely carried out. Chinese fishery production has a bright perspective, which effectively assures the supply of aquatic product. Aquatic product is greatly demanded in China. Nowadays, the aquatic product consumption and quality conception of Chinese residents have stepped into a higher grade.
Many factors, such as development of aquatic product output and demand, production imbalance of in different seasons and regions, and the shortage of desired species promote the aboard and domestic aquatic product trade of china.
In recent years, though influenced by Southeast Asia’s Financial Crisis, foreign trade of aquatic product still has a new breakthrough and progress both in total quantity and in turnover of trade. Common trade is the general way of foreign trade and China has already put great emphasis on checking quality of aquatic food of imports and exports. Generally speaking, the export price declines while the import price rises for the time being. The main sorts of export are roasted eel, frozen fillet, frozen fish and frozen shrimp meat etc. As for the sorts of import, fish powder occupies a main place. Some other important export sorts are frozen cold fish, eel fry, frozen squid, frozen fresh fish and frozen fish etc. The main countries and regions of export and import are Japan, USA, Korea, European Union, Hong Kong and Taiwan Province of China etc. Partners in foreign trade are relatively concentrated. However, the risk still exists. Export and import mainly exists in the eastern part where the economy is relatively flourishing, while the strong development of foreign trade of aquatic product in middle and western part is also worth notice.
At present, China’s aquatic product markets develop very rapidly. The total quantity and turnover of aquatic product trade increase annually because of high percentage of further commercialization of aquatic product, the abundant resources in market, and the animate trade in rural and urban areas. Aquatic food imported enriches the Chinese market, especially greatly affects the big coastal cities. Consumption of imported aquatic product has partly extended from coastal regions to inland. There is a trend that domestic price of aquatic products is declining. At the beginning of 2000, price began to be steadily increase.
Because Chinese macroeconomics continues growing, especially the swift rising of the interior and western economy, Chinese aquatic product output will develop steadily and further, and demand will also increase greatly in the future. With the rising of Chinese people’s living standard, when comparing with the experience of Four Little Asian Dragons, we will enhance our nutrition. Thus aquatic product will play an important role in consumption structure of Chinese food. Because of limited aquatic resource and increasing population, a survey predicts that a shortage would emerge in domestic supply of aquatic product from 2020 to 2030 and import trade of aquatic product will become very important on releasing domestic rations pressure. Such facts completely indicate that Chinese aquatic product market will take on a progressive trend.
China will take part in WTO soon, so Chinese aquatic-products industry is facing the chance as well as the challenge. WTO’s purpose of free global trade will speed up international trade in Chinese aquatic product. Meanwhile, it will have impact partly on the output and circulation of the aquatic product. Chinese aquatic-products industry is researching for countermeasures and amending laws and regulations so as to solve the problems of uniting markets and bring foreign and domestic trade of aquatic product into a regulated administration. Chinese fishery will face the challenge from WTO with efficient productivity and management.
1. The fisheries production and consumption in China
1.1 The prosperous developing of fisheries production assured the supply of aquatic product.
1.1.1. The output of aquatic product in China
In recent years, the great development of fisheries production has assured the supply of aquatic product. The NOTICE has been executed all over the country. After the realization of “zero increasing” and “closed season” policies, fishing has been developing quite steadily with a lower increasing speed than ever. At the same time, the production of aquaculture industry has increased, the structure of which has been adjusted from “quantity and scale style” to “quality and benefit style”. The development trend of fisheries production can be seen well from the following charts and tables.
| (unit: 10 thousand tons) | |||||||
|
Statistical item (year) |
total output of aquatic product |
#1 marine product |
marine fishing |
marine culture |
#2 inland aquatic product |
inland fishing |
inland culture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1997 |
3601 |
2176 |
1385 |
791 |
1452 |
188 |
1236 |
|
1998 |
3906 |
2356 |
1496 |
860 |
1549 |
228 |
1321 |
|
1999 |
4122 |
2472 |
1498 |
974 |
1650 |
228 |
1422 |
Data resource: Chinese Statistics Yearbook,1998，1999，2000
Chart 1 Output of Aquatic Product in China (1990-1999 )
(Data begins
with approximately 120,000,000 MT in 1990 and goes to over 400,000,000 MT
in 1999)
Data resource: Chinese Statistics Yearbook,1998,1999,2000
There are eleven provinces in China whose fisheries output exceeds 1,000,000 tons. They are Shandong, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Hubei, Guangxi, Anhui, Jiangxi and Hunan, the total output index of which amounts to 90% of that of the whole country.
The freshwater aquatic production in Hubei, Anhui, Guangxi and Hunan is about 30% of the production of the same species in China, which is about 12% of total national production; The other seven provinces in the East China cover 78% of the total national production. So the aquatic product is mainly supplied in the eastern regions and interior provinces.
1.1.2. The species of aquatic products in China
Oriented by market, the structure of fisheries in China is being adjusted and the better-quality, high additional-value and well-selling aquatic products are supplied to consumers. Aquatic product usually is referred to what belonging to the non-staple foodstuffs, including fresh and frozen fishes, crab, shrimp and some processed aquatic products.
(1) Marine products
A. The species of marine capture : Because of the decreasing of aquatic resources and the transference of capturing emphasis, the species of marine products supplied to consumers changes greatly.
At present, China is adjusting the fisheries operation structure in coastal waters to tap new aquatic resources and fishing grounds. The fishing emphasis has been diverted from the bottom layer. For example, the catch from the middle-and-lower bottom level was 7,785,500 tons in 1998, 686,800 tons less than that in 1997, declining by 8.1%; the pelagic catch was 7,181,200 tons in 1998, 1,799,800 tons more than that in 1997, ascending by 33.44%. Now the production increases because of the overall ban-fishing. In the following list are the categories of marine products in China, the output of which respectively exceeds 10 thousand tons.
|
Products
|
1996 |
1997 |
|---|---|---|
|
Cod |
226,900 |
220,000 |
|
large yellow croaker |
80,072 |
69,950 |
|
small yellow croaker |
253,482 |
212,631 |
|
Filefish (thamnaconus septentrionalis) |
210,188 |
296,781 |
|
Round scad |
607,686 |
505,991 |
|
Anchovy |
671,376 |
1,201,964 |
|
Hairtail (trichiuridae) |
1,071,914 |
1,014,598 |
|
Swimcrab |
283,394 |
237,960 |
|
Stimpso |
163,060 |
174,967 |
|
Akiami paste shrimp |
442,460 |
480,056 |
|
Marine mussels |
932,374, |
1,494,902 |
|
jellyfish |
265,325 |
400,483 |
Data resource: FAO Fishery Statistics Yearbook,1998,1999
B. The species of marine culture
Marine culture takes on a wonderful situation, among which the output of some noted, special superior and new species increase obviously in volume. When culturing kelp laminaria, scallop, prawn penaeus chinensis etc. on a large scale, local departments also begin to culture abalone, olive flounder, sea bass, sea cucumber, arkshell etc according to concrete situation. Marine culture is developed with the net cage, so the sea bass, marine shrimp, marine crab, groupers, red sea bream, greater yellow croaker and lobster etc. develops greatly.
(2) Freshwater products
A. The species of the freshwater culture
Traditional species prevails, such as grass carp, silver carp, bighead carp, Prussian carp, breams etc. The output and percentage of special aquatic products in freshwater culture are rising year by year. For instance, the total output of soft-shelled turtle and Chinese mitten crab reached 61.9 thousand tons and 190 thousand tons respectively in 1999. Some other species also enrich the market unceasingly, such as freshwater shrimps, lobster, snake-head fishes, and aquatic product anese ell, mandarin fish, sea bass, channel catfish etc. At the same time, some new aquaculture species are imported such as tiger shrimp, red-eye mullet, freshwater groupers etc., which also enrich the “food basket.”
B. The species of freshwater fishing
Traditional species prevails, i.e. grass carp, silver carp, bighead carp, Prussian carp, breams etc.
(3) The aquatic product processing
The total national output of fisheries processing is 4.9835 million tons in 1997, and 5.4373 million tons in 1998.
The aquatic product processing makes the low value fishes popular. Minced fish products, as fish cake, fish bar, fish ham, fish ball etc. sell well all over the country. Processed oyster and scallop etc. are also welcome. Fish steak and fish finger become typical local food. The marine nutrition and health product that newly exploited is up-to-date in the aquatic product market.
At present, the volume of the processed aquatic product only occupies 10%-30% of the total, far lower than that in the developed countries. The processing rate of freshwater product is even lower, and most of them are sold freshly. According to the statistics in 1997, the total production of freshwater fish reached 14 254 000 tons, while the frozen product of freshwater fish was 54 100 tons, only 0.38% of the total. The freshwater fish products with fine processing are even less, only several thousand tons.
China is a great-nation in producing shell, which occupies about 25% of the total aquatic product. Since the output of marine shells makes up 80% of total output of marine culture, the processing of shellfish will bring a great mass fervor in processing the aquatic product in China. In addition, the production and processing of the pearl is also concerned.
(4) Fry and fish powder
Fingerling, fry and fish powder etc. Which needed in the fishery production belongs to the indirect consumer goods. The fry of crab larva and ell etc. is in rather short supply for the time being while all kinds of special and superior fries are also in great demand.
520.446 billion freshwater fries are produced in China in 1998, 108.291 billion more than in 1997 The fingerling put in to breed was 2 172 700 tons, 281 000 tons more than in 1997. 1.111 billion marine fries are produced, 144 million more than in 1997.
In China, fish powder is produced about 200 000~300 000 tons annually, what’s more, it’s mainly produced in Shandong and Zhejiang, and the output in each province is about 55%and 30% of the total.
1.1.3. The commercialization ratio of aquatic product and capitalization in China
(1) Analyzed from the angles of the production and consumption of aquatic products in the country family, commercialization ratio is about 80% (seen as Table 3)
|
Year |
Aquatic Output (kg) |
Aquatic Sale(kg) |
Aquatic Consumption (kg) |
Aquatic Commercialization Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1994 |
16.74 |
13.49 |
3.25 |
80.6% |
|
1995 |
16.72 |
13.20 |
3.52 |
78.9% |
|
1996 |
18.17 |
14.45 |
3.72 |
79.5% |
|
1997 |
19.59 |
15.48 |
4.11 |
79.0% |
|
1998 |
22.72 |
18.52 |
4.20 |
81.5% |
Data resource: Chinese Statistics Yearbook,1998,1999
(2) The commercialization ratio of aquatic products is the highest one in the national agricultural products, which reached 83% both in 1996 and in 1997. Because many large fishery enterprises and groups are engaged in professional and large-scale production, the commercialization ratio of national aquatic products is higher than that formed by fishermen’s retail.
(3) In 1999, the capitalization occupation for aquatic product is 32.7kg in china, 1.4kg more than in 1998.
1.1.4 The production of aquatic product promotes the development of the relative trade at home and abroad.
The fisheries production develops continuously and steadily in China that assures an abundant supply of goods in market. There exists every kind of products that one expects to find, varying from the fresh or frozen production to the further processing products. Meanwhile, the improvement of the quality of aquatic products assures the inhabitants in town and country of a higher quality in consuming. There is a great demand for the fresh, live and new aquatic products in the coastal areas, and the market share of in direct sale of frozen product enlarges. Freshwater live fish plays the lead in the markets of inland cities while the frozen and processed products are welcomed in the northern areas.
Because much imbalance of distribution exists in fisheries resources in the world, the species of aquatic product and the consumption habit varies in different districts. Each county pays great attention to the aquatic product trade and stimulates the trade and circulation of aquatic product to be internationally marketable. In the light of the characteristics of the market home and aboard, Chinese fishery circles is taking an active part in a certain scope of international aquatic trade.
1.2 The consumption characteristics of aquatic product in China
1.2.1 The consumption volume for aquatic product year by year
The aquatic product consumption of capitalization in a year rose to 9.84 kg in the town and 3.66 kg in the countryside in 1998
Chart 2 Aquatic product consumption of captilization China every year(1990-1998) (kg)
 |
(City consumption begins at 2,000
kg for village consumption and slightly less than 8,000kg for city consumption
in 1990 and goes to slightly less than 4,000 kg for village and slightly less
than 10,000 kg for city in 1998)
Data resource: Chinese Statistics Yearbook,1998,1999,2000
1.2.2 The consumption of aquatic product is increasingly becoming high-grade
The increase of aquatic product and species in China enriches the “ food basket” of the habitants. The phenomena that consumption focuses on traditional festivals and holidays are decreasing, and the in habits intend to purchase in any time. The scale-classification, processing method and wrapping style of aquatic products have a more influence on the sale and consumption. Some kinds of excellent species are welcomed both in the coastal cities and in the inland cities. Some traditional high-grade aquatic product, such as Chinese mitten crab, aquatic product and anese eel, soft-shelled turtle etc, have stepped into the common families with the price’s declining. Some aquatic products imported, such as mandarin fish, sea bass, channel catfish, also have been accepted by markets, and the sale of which keeps steady.
1.2.3 The cities are the main consumption market for aquatic product trade and the village market is growing stronger.
1.2.4 The consciousness for the quality of the consumption for aquatic product strengthens
To assure the human health and protect the agricultural products and by-product from polluting, the green food is popular in the world. The Chinese habitants lose the enthusiasm for soft-shelled turtle, swamp eel etc., because of the pharmaceutical pollution, and now they have a increasing demand for non-polluted aquatic product. In the recent years, the aquatic condition is worsening and the aquatic resources can’t grow healthily, which is concerned by the mass of the consumers.
Back to Top of Page2. The import and export trade of aquatic production in China
2.1 The present situation of import and export trade of aquatic products in China
2.1.1 the volume and value of import and export of Chinese aquatic products
The import and export of Chinese aquatic products share a part in Chinese national economy and international trade. Aquatic products is one of the main agricultural products that export, the export value of which has been more than 2% of the total export value in China since the 1990’s. According to the statistics of customs, the export volume of Chinese aquatic product has been increasing steadily since the policy of reforming and opening is carried on, and keeps increasing from 1997 till 1999 despite the influence of the finance crisis in Eastern and Southern Asia. Chinese trade of the aquatic product has a new breakthrough and development both in sum volume and value. At present, the export aquatic product is ranked the ninth among the whole export goods in China, and ranked front among the agricultural exporting, above the total amount of grains and vegetables. The volume and value of import and export of Chinese aquatic product during the recent years can be seen in the table 4.
|
Year |
Export Volume (10 000 tons) |
Export Amount (Billion USD) |
Import Volume (10,000 tons) |
Import Amount (Billion USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1996 |
80.2 |
3.297 |
138.68 |
1.204 |
|
1997 |
92.2 |
3.14 |
151.3 |
1.22 |
|
1998 |
100.3 |
2.84 |
114.1 |
1.02 |
|
1999 |
134.8 |
3.14 |
130.5 |
1.29 |
Data resource: Chinese Fishery Statistics Yearbook,1996,1997,1998,1999
Influenced by Asia finance crisis, Chinese aquatic product declined in 1998, the total trading volume and value is 2.144 million tons and 3.86 billion dollars, 12% and 11.3% less than in 1997 respectively; and trade surplus is 18.2 billion dollars, 1.1 billion dollars less than in 1997. In 1999, the international trading of Chinese aquatic product became better and took on a new look.
2.1.2. Aquatic species in foreign trade
According to the changes of demand in international market, China has always been very keen on developing the export species marketable; and culturing the famous, special and excellent aquatic species, which effectively promote the import and export trade of aquatic products. The species of aquatic export in 1999 are shown as table 5.
|
Products |
Export Volume (unit:10,000 tons) |
Export Value (unit: billion USD) |
|---|---|---|
|
Roast ell |
5.8 |
0.633 |
|
Frozen fish flake |
24.0 |
0.477 |
|
Cold shrimp meat |
3.7 |
0.164 |
|
Live fish |
6.8 |
0.142 |
|
Cold fresh fish |
7.0 |
0.119 |
|
Frozen fish |
36.7 |
0.369 |
|
Salted & dried fish |
2.1 |
0.084 |
|
Mussels |
8.15 |
0.315 |
|
Crustacean |
22.0 |
0.04 |
|
Seaweeds |
5.8 |
0.089 |
|
processed aquatic product |
17.8 |
1.020 |
Data resource: Chinese Fishery Statistics Yearbook,1999
The fish powder occupied a major position in import trade. 631 000 tons fish powder was imported and valued at 0.36 billion while 154 tons eel fry imported and valued at USD 0.184 billion in 1999. The other major import species were frozen cod, and cuttlefish, frozen squid, cold fresh fish, frozen fish and frozen fish block etc.
2.1.3 Aquatic trade partners
Main aquatic trade partners with China are Japan, America, Korea, EU, Russia, HK, Peru, Canada, Chinese Taiwan Province, Chile, the trade status of which are shown as Table 6.
|
Trade Partners |
Export Value (unit: billion USD) |
Import Value (unit: billion USD) |
Total Value (unit: billion USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Japan |
1.752 |
0.195 |
1.947 |
|
America |
0.353 |
0.102 |
0.455 |
|
Korea |
0.386 |
0.038 |
0.424 |
|
EU |
0.262 |
0.084 |
0.347 |
|
Russia |
0.008 |
0.326 |
0.333 |
|
HK |
0.214 |
0.035 |
0.249 |
|
Peru |
2886USD |
0.187 |
0.187 |
|
Canada |
0.025 |
0.039 |
0.064 |
|
Chinese Taiwan Province |
0.052 |
0.0097 |
0.062 |
|
Chile |
33000USD |
0.04 |
0.04 |
Data resource: Chinese Fishery Statistics Yearbook,1998,1999
In the export trade in Chinese aquatic product, the trade indices to Japan, Korea, America, EU, HK occupies a higher position, which are 56%, 12%, 11%, 8% and 7% of the total amount in aquatic product trade. In the import trade in aquatic product, the import is mainly from Russia, Japan, Peru, America etc.
2.1.4. Analysis on the domestic provinces engaged in aquatic trade.
Coastal areas, as relatively developed districts, play the major part in Chinese aquatic trade while the inland areas also have developed to different extent. In 1998, the trade amount in twelve coastal areas occupies 98% in national amount while in the middle and western areas it only occupies 1.6%.
(1) The aquatic product import and export in eastern coastal provinces and cities
|
Eastern Coastal District |
Export Quantity in 1999 (unit:10 000 tons) |
Export Amount in 1999 (unit: billion USD) |
|---|---|---|
|
Shandong |
45.6 |
0.882 |
|
Fujian |
12.3 |
0.562 |
|
Guangdong |
18.4 |
0.447 |
|
Zhejiang |
15.8 |
0.44 |
|
Liaoning |
29.4 |
0.435 |
|
Jiangsu |
3.7 |
0.111 |
|
Tianjin |
2.3 |
0.078 |
|
Shanghai |
2.3 |
0.06 |
|
Hainan |
0.5 |
0.018 |
|
Beijing |
0.4 |
0.014 |
Data resource: Chinese Fishery Statistics Yearbook,1999
|
Eastern Coastal District |
Import Quantity in 1999 (unit:10 000 tons) |
Import Amount in 1999 (unit: billion USD) |
|---|---|---|
|
Shandong |
40.3 |
0.397 |
|
Fujian |
20.9 |
0.215 |
|
Guangdong |
14.4 |
0.198 |
|
Liaoning |
18.7 |
0.167 |
|
Beijing |
16.7 |
0.089 |
Data resource: Chinese Fishery Statistics Yearbook,1999
(2) The aquatic import and export in the western and central districts
The aquatic import and export in the western and central districts develop more rapidly, and the trend of which is toward up, refer to table 8a & 8b .
|
Western and central district |
Export Amount in 1998 (10 thousand USD) |
Export Amount in 1999 (10 thousand USD) |
Ratio of increase |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jiangxi |
736.8 |
1842 |
150% |
|
Hunan |
49.6 |
1390 |
2700% |
|
Hubei |
219.7 |
380 |
73% |
|
Heilongjiang |
343.9 |
282 |
-18% |
|
Anhui |
153.8 |
263 |
71% |
|
Jilin |
147.9 |
244 |
65% |
|
Yunnan |
139.5 |
226 |
62% |
|
Henan |
20 |
72 |
260% |
|
Neimenggu |
38.6 |
59 |
53% |
|
Guizhou |
7 |
42 |
500% |
|
Qinghai |
2.7 |
24 |
780% |
Data resource: Chinese Fishery Statistics Yearbook,1998,1999
|
Western and central district |
Import Quantity (10 thousand tons) |
Import Amount (10 thousand USD) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1998 |
1999 |
1998 |
1999 |
|
|
Hunan |
6410 |
10000 |
519 |
462 |
|
Guizhou |
0.0 |
8065 |
0.0 |
363 |
|
Henan |
65 |
4663 |
18 |
265 |
|
Anhui |
25 |
2840 |
6.3 |
126 |
Data resource: Chinese Fishery Statistics Yearbook,1998,1999
The aquatic product development in the western and central districts obviously lags behind the coastal areas, but it has great potentialities and vast vistas in aquatic product. We should enlarge its exploitation and fully exert the local superiority to enhance its international competitive ability in widening international market.
2.1.5 The foreign trade ways of the aquatic products
Analyzed according to the trade ways, the common trade is the general way in the import and export trade of Chinese aquatic product. At the same time, some other trade ways, such as processing the raw material imported or given, and other ways (e.g. border trade, compensates trade, barter trade) etc., has been also developed to the different extent. The quantity and percentage of Chinese aquatic product in different trade ways are as following table 9a and 9b.
|
Mode |
Import Quantity (10 thousand tons) |
Import Amount
|
Export Quantity (10 thousand tons) |
Export Amount (billion USD) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1998 |
1999 |
|||||||