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26 Situation Report//

North America Antonio Camposano,Executive President of the National
Aquaculture Chamber (CNA), said that Italy normally takes
On 25th March, the United States Senate voted to approve a
US$1.2 trillion economic stimulus package that included some about 30% of Ecuadorian shrimp supplies; unfortunately
US$300 million to assist tribal nations, fishermen, fishing demand has dropped as it is one of the European countries
communities, other fishery-related business and certain most badly affected by the virus. In 2019, Ecuadorian shrimp
aquaculture businesses until 30 September 2021. This is part exports to Italy were worth US$176 million, according to
of the US$2 trillion relief package approved for American figures from the Central Bank.
businesses and individuals affected by the pandemic. Other countries
Undercurrent News reported that the US will remove 25% Of the countries which do not fit neatly into the regions
tariffs on imports of tilapia and red swimming crab from China. mentioned above, arguably the most important is Russia,
Meanwhile, to boost sales of pangasius, the US Department which spans both the European and Asian continents. The
of Agriculture said it would temporarily relax a labeling Federation of Seafood Businesses (Sjømatbedriftene) called
requirement to allow fish that was originally packaged in
large blocks for foodservice to be repackaged for retail sale. upon the government to negotiate with Moscow on lifting
the current ban on salmon flights over Russia during the
In Canada, seafood groups such as the Canadian Aquaculture pandemic so that salmon exports to markets such as Japan,
Industry Alliance have requested an aid package of CAD South Korea, and also increasingly to China, can resume.
82 billion (US$58.2bn). One positive bit of news is that live
lobster exports (67 tonnes) from Nova Scotia to China (the Sales of products such as king crab, which are exported
primary market for the product) resumed in the first week both by air to world markets as well as (in the case of
of March, with the industry in Canada staying in a wait-and- China, by land), have also been affected. According to
watch mode to see if the distribution system in China had the Russian Association of the Far Eastern Crab Catchers
sufficiently recovered. (AFECC), live king crab exports to China dropped to almost
nothing in March, and exporters diverted more supplies to
South America South Korea, which usually accounts for more than 60% of

According to the Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture of total Russian crab exports. At the end of March, German
the National Society of Industries (SNI), Peruvian shipments Zverev, President of the All-Russian Association of Fisheries
of seafood products to China and other destinations that Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters (WARPE), said that
make stopovers in Chinese ports have been put on hold (as the export price of crab had dropped from US$15-18 dollars
at end-March) until the situation in China normalises. These to seven dollars per kg. WARPE estimates that exports for the
products include canned anchovies, canned tuna, frozen first quarter of 2020 may drop to 7-8 thousand tonnes, and
cuttlefish, frozen shrimp tails and horse mackerel. revenue will be around US$60–70 million dollars (about half
Fresh seafood exports (snapper, yellowtail, grouper) from the anticipated amount).
Brazil to the US remain suspended due to the sudden lack of Canned seafood sales deserve a
demand from that market.
Chilean fresh salmon exports to its major markets US, Brazil, special mention
and SE Asia have continued; sales to China, its fifth largest Global manufacturers of canned seafood, particularly tuna,
market for the product, were suspended at the beginning of have seen their sales shoot up as consumers from the
March, but SalmonChile said that shipments had begun to Americas through Europe and Asia bought food in bulk in
resume slowly by the end of that month.
anticipation of lockdowns and possible shortages. In hard-
Ecuador, as mentioned hit Italy, various news wires reported that canned tuna was
earlier, is keeping watch on the second most widely-purchased product in February, next
the situation to ascertain only to canned meat.
when shrimp exports can In the US, CNBC reported that in the week ending 21st March,
resume China, before the sales of fresh meat increased by 100%, canned tuna by 200%,
outbreak of Covid-19, was and dried beans by 400% as compared to the same period
the top market for their in 2019. In Asia, according to Bloomberg, Thai Union is now
product, and so the closure one of the best performers among consumer stocks in Asia
had a huge impact on sales (excluding Japan) with a market value of at least US$1 billion.
from Ecuador. However by
Credit: CNA The company is the maker of (among others), ‘Chicken of
the end of March, signs of
Exports of Ecuadorian shrimp may recovery in China were noted. the Sea’ in the US, and ‘John West’ in Europe. Other major
resume in the near future with the canned tuna and sardine manufacturers such as the Bolton
apparent recovery of the Chinese With regard to Europe, José Group (Italy) also reported increased sales.
market.

INFOFISH International 3/2020 ● www.infofish.org