STAG NEWS BITES is produced for Australian Seafood Exporters, containing important updates and informal translations of news from Asian media sources. Any information provided as part of this trade news service is general in nature. Before acting on any information provided, you should consider its appropriateness to your circumstances and business objectives.
M A R K E T N E W S
Chinese Media
Below are four articles translated from Chinese media that focus on consumption trends in relation to seafood imports and exports.
Note: If foreign articles are opened in Chrome, they can be automatically translated
China officially announces suspension, Australian lobster will be completely cold in the next 5 years!
This is an article for a Chinese audience drawing on ABARES Australian fisheries and aquaculture outlook 2021, published in March this year, to emphasise the Australian Rock Lobster Industry’s dependence on access to the China market.
The article also refers to an Australian Sky News report on South Australian lobster prices, quoting rock lobster fisherman. and exporter Andrew Ferguson.
Read full article in Chinese here.
Abalone education a topic for Chinese media.
Chinese business news website Baiye educates readers on the various species of abalone popular in Chinese cooking. Australian Green Lip is rated as Southern China and Hong Kong’s favourite.
'Australia, what kind of hysteria?' - Insight into the Australia-China relationship from the china side.
An interesting long read from the Chinese perspective tracing the deterioration in bilateral ties from the signing of the Port of Darwin lease in 2015 to the suspension of the Strategic Economic Dialogue earlier this month. The author questions how things soured so quickly, blaming US criticism
following the Darwin decision and the rise of conservatives in the LNP for driving Australia into a confrontation with China.
See full article (in Chinese)
22 of China's provinces announce May Day tourism revenue.
China’s domestic tourist numbers during the 2021 May Day holiday exceeded pre-covid levels. While this is a positive economic signal, tourism income from the holiday period has not fully recovered. ‘Red’ tourism and country houses, as well as gourmet food, were popular trends this year.
O T H E R M A R K E T N E W S
Australian Business Leaders Call for Trade diversity amid China tensions.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 5 May 2021
Australian business leaders, including Former BHP chairman Don Argus and NAB chief executive Ross McEwan, point out the damage done to Australia’s trade through worsening relations with China.
Mr. Argus said ‘the federal government needed to do a better job of marketing Australia’s agricultural resources around the world to diversify our export mix’.
Image: Unsplash
China Tensions:
Exporters to get more help to diversify.
Source: Australian Financial Review, 11 May 2021
As part of the government’s response to trade difficulties with China, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will receive $198.2 million over four years for “enhanced trade and strategic capability” as part of next year’s budget.
This includes dialogue with businesses on market risks and opportunities overseas, with the greatest focus on industries disrupted by the China trade tensions, as well as money to support WTO action against decisions that have affected Australian exporters. See full article
Image: Unsplash
Japan's restaurants take another hit under COVID-19 emergency
Source: The Japan Times, 7 May 2021
Japan’s foodservice industry takes another hit. The state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo, and Kyoto prefectures has been extended until May 31 and expanded to Aichi and Fukuoka.
While dining establishments will be asked to continue to close by 8 p.m. and not sell alcohol, department stores that were asked to close when the order was handed down in late April can reopen their doors, but only until 8 p.m.
Image Unsplash
Taiwan increases COVID-19 restrictions as infectious clusters form.
Source: The Straits Times, 11 May 2021
Indoor gatherings of more than 100 and outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people are banned. Similar restrictions have been imposed before, but Taiwan has never gone into total lockdown.
The island, which has one of the world's best pandemic responses, has so far recorded 1,210 Covid-19 cases and 12 deaths.
Image: Unsplash
Skaginn 3X Fielding more freezer Requests as frozen seafood Category Surges.
Source: Seafoodsource.com, 6 May 2021
Foodservice closures are driving growth in frozen seafood demand. According to Icelandic seafood processing equipment manufacturer Skaginn 3X, “We’ve seen the whole market change, and lean more into frozen.”
See full article here
Image: Unsplash
Optimism for Hong Kong restaraunts as COVID-19 restriction ease.
Source: South China Morning Post, 6 May 2021
Hong Kong’s restaurant sector is recovering, with the easing of restrictions expected to help the sector. but local authorities warn of challenging conditions ahead.
See full article here (paywall)
Image: Unsplash
Our New STAG Editor for Newsletters
This is just a quick note to say hello!
My name is Andrew Robertson and I will be supporting the STAG secretariat as editor of the two regular newsletters: News Bites and Trade and Market Access News.
My background is in industry diplomacy: first as an Australian official and diplomat; and then as an industry trade representative. I look forward to bridging the gap between industry trade priorities and government regulation and policy for the seafood export sector. My goal is to keep members informed of new developments in the seafood export space, especially as challenges continue to mount.
If you would like to get in touch with any feedback or suggestions, please “drop me a line” (as they say!): andrew.robertson.4567@gmail.com
STAG News Bites is a resource for Australian seafood exporters, currently funded by the Abalone Council Australia Ltd, Southern Rocklobster Ltd, Australian Abalone Growers Association, Western Rocklobster Council and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. We acknowledge past funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, through the Package Assisting Small Exporters.
This STAG publication contains informal translation of foreign and Asian media. Any information provided as part of this trade news service is general in nature. Before acting on any information provided, you should consider its appropriateness to your circumstances and business objectives.
Copyright © 2021, Seafood Trade Advisory Group. All rights reserved.
