Breakthrough In Aquatic Product Trade

Export volume was 3.34 million tons and export value $13.83 billion, creating a record high, or a year-on-year increase of 12.6 per cent and 28.09 per cent, respectively. Among the major agricultural exports, exported aquatic products remain ranking first, accounting for 28 per cent of the total value of exported agricultural products, or one percentage point higher than that of the previous year.

The coastal areas are still the major exporters of aquatic products. For example, Shandong Province was the biggest exporter with export value of $3.988 billion in 2010, followed by the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, Liaoning, Zhejiang and Hunan, ranking from second to sixth. All together, the export value of the six provinces mentioned above accounted for 91 per cent of the national total. In terms of inland export provinces, Jiangxi and Hubei were the two leading exporters as before.

The pattern of export markets kept changed towards a more rational and diversified one. In 2010, number of the countries and regions that imported aquatic products from China reached 170, of which developed countries like Japan, the United States of America, European countries and Korea remained the most important export markets of the country, while countries and regions in middle and South America, Africa and Oceania turned to be our major emerging export markets.

General trade stranded out while export of quality products increased sharply. Moreover, export volume of cultured pearl, offshore and deep-sea harvested products increased significantly, some even doubled.

Restructuring of trade of processing has yielded remarkable achievements, and the proportion of trade of processing with imported materials in the trade of processing with customers’ and imported materials has further increased.

For example, in 2010, the export volume of this type of was 825.6 thousand tons, worth $3.208 billion, up by 18 per cent and 24.19 per cent year on year respectively, and the proportion of its export value in the total of the two types of trade increased by 4.5 percentage points compared with 2009; the export volume of trade of processing with customers’ materials was 270.1 thousand tons, worth $1.198 billion, a year-on-year drop of 5.57 per cent and 0.49 per cent, respectively.

These statistics reflect that export-oriented processing enterprises in the country have been no more satisfied with earning meager processing fees, in stead they have paid more attention to market management and building of their own brands with a view to raise status in global market. As a result, they have further enhanced their international competitiveness.