Seafood Trade Matters
The latest developments in International Seafood Trade & Market Access affecting Australian Seafood Exporters.
September 29, 2022
In this edition: ESCS Briefing; New UK health certificates; China relations
Export Supply Chain Service Industry Briefing
The Government’s Export Supply Chain Service (ESCS) provides insights into complex supply chain and logistics issues faced by exporters. It publishes fortnightly snapshots and holds regular consultations with industry.
Austrade hosted an industry briefing of the ESCS on 21 September 2022. Key points included:
AIR FREIGHT
While overall flight numbers are increasing slowly, this has not meant more freight availability or lower prices, due to factors including huge tourism demand, key worker shortages, high energy costs, and the weak Australian dollar.
Prices will remain high and, as has been stressed by officials previously, possibly never return to pre-Covid-19 levels.
SEA FREIGHT
Prices decreased around 8% in the last month, but US ports are experiencing considerable delays, with congestion in the EU also. Industrial actions at ports are exacerbating problems. Expect reliability to go down and increased wage costs being passed on to customers.
Shipping companies focused on profitability, and also on the imbalance between 40ft and 20ft containers - encouraging Australia to shift to 20ft containers.
Officials ruled out a revival of the International Freight Assistance Mechanism, due to budget constraints and concerns around consistency with Australia’s obligations in the World Trade Organization.
Find out more on the ESCS website here.
UK: Updated health certificates
From 13 October 2022, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) will be updating health certificates for the export of fish and fish products to the United Kingdom (UK) excluding Northern Ireland. Access the full Market Access Advice here.
Foreign Minister Wong focused on trade blockages
The UK-based Daily Mail observes the meeting between Australian and Chinese foreign ministers in New York last week, referring to a Chinese foreign ministry statement: ‘The Chinese side stands ready to work with the Australian side to seriously take stock of experience, properly manage differences, and steer the sound and steady development of bilateral relations.’
Australian Foreign Minister, Senator the Hon Penny Wong added, 'In terms of issues of difference, obviously first amongst them is the issue of trade blockages, and that is the issue I focussed on at the outset.' Read the Daily Mail article here. Read the minister’s full remarks here.
China: Nanchang airport launches direct chilled seafood imports
Nanchang airport in central China’s Jiangxi province has gained GACC approval for the direct import of chilled seafood: ‘This is the first approved site for the supervision of imported chilled aquatic products in our province, which ends the history that our province cannot directly import chilled aquatic products’. Read more here (Chinese).
EU: Australia trade agreement could be concluded by February
A European Parliament Trade Committee member gives a wide-ranging interview on Australia-EU trade negotiations, discussing possible outcomes and timelines. The EU is exploring ‘anti-economic coercion’ measures. Read more here (paywall).
Vietnam: IUU ‘yellow card’ impacts developed market access
According to Vietnam Agriculture, exporters are facing market access challenges due to implementation of measures targeting illegal, unregulated, unreported (IUU) fishing:
‘In addition to the EU market, the USA will also apply IUU to imported fishery products in the near future. Meanwhile, during the time the European market applies IUU standards, many seafood processing enterprises shifted to the US market. If Vietnam does not remove the IUU "yellow card" from the EU market, now with the US market’s application of IUU regulations, it will be difficulties one after another for fishery product exports.’ Read more here.
Reminder: SIA seeking expressions of interest for trade show participation
SIA has received funding to deliver an Australian seafood booth at three international trade shows under the Great Australian Seafood brand. The three trade shows are:
- Seafood Expo North America – Boston 12-14 March 2023
- Seafood Expo Global – Barcelona 25-27 April 2023
- Seafood Expo Asia - Singapore September 2023 (TBC)
If you would like to get involved, register your interest on the SIA website here.
Korea: Seafood market report
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Global Agricultural Information Network has published a new seafood market report focused on Korea. Read the full report here.
The STAG is funded by partners:
The Seafood Trade Advisory Group (STAG) is jointly funded by the Australian government and the fishing industry. We receive funds from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC).which is a statutory authority within the portfolio of the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
Any information provided in this STAG publication is general in nature. Before acting on any information provided, you should consider its appropriateness to your individual circumstances and business objectives.
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