Pakistan’s Seafood exports to China surge by 13%

Pakistan’s seafood exports to China increased by 13% in 2023 compared to the previous year. The rise is due to the growing demand for seafood products in China, a trend that has been steadily increasing over the past few years, according to Ghulam Qadir, Investment and Trade Counsellor at the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing.

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Qadir noted that Pakistan’s seafood exports to China reached $247.3 million, marking a 13% increase for the January-December period in 2023 year-on-year. In 2022, exports were valued at $219.3 million, while in 2021, they stood at $139.29 million, as per data from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC).

“This growth can be attributed to various factors, such as improved trade relations between the two countries, participation in the China Fisheries and Seafood Expo held in Qingdao last year by a large group of Pakistani fisheries companies, and the implementation of efficient supply chain management strategies in the Pakistani seafood industry,” the counsellor elaborated.

Qadir informed that, according to GACC, exports of frozen fish crossed $60.63 million in 2023. Fresh/chilled crabs saw an increase to $42.59 million and exports of frozen cuttlefish reached $34.93 million from Pakistan to China in 2023.

He also highlighted that Pakistan organised the International Food and Agriculture Exhibition in Karachi last year, where a significant number of Chinese, particularly from the seafood association, participated to explore the Pakistani market.