China’s fisheries output rose 15 percent last year in terms of value while rising 4.5 percent in volume terms, according to the agricultural ministry in Beijing which released the data at a briefing this week.
At its annual conference on fisheries (which comes under the remit of the department) the agricultural ministry valued the sector at CNY 1.9 trillion (USD 314 billion, EUR 213 billion) in 2013, an increase of 15 percent year-over-year. The figure encompasses earnings across the sector, from aquaculture to local fisheries for domestic consumption.
In volume terms aquatic products totaled more than 61.72 million metric tons (MT) in 2013, an increase of 4.5 percent. Exports are up too: from January to November trade surplus of from exports of 3.56 million MT worth USD 18.19 billion (EUR 13.4 billion), up 4.3 percent and 7.4 percent respectively, for a trade surplus of USD 10.24 billion (EUR 7.5 billion): this represents an increase of 5.7 percent. More specific export data for 2013 will be announced at a later date. China’s pelagic catch totaled 1.3 million MT, up 6 percent in output value terms to CNY 14 billion (USD 2.3 billion, EUR 1.7 billion).
Meanwhile, the average per capita income of Chinese fishermen reached CNY 13,039 (USD 2,153/EUR 1,584), a climb of CNY 1,783 (USD 294, EUR 217) or 15.84 percent compared to 2012 figures. Much of the growth may be coming from increased government support. For the first time, central government subsidies to the sector have included a CNY 500 million (USD 83 million, EUR 61 million) housing subsidy for fishermen in key freshwater and sea fishing provinces including Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui.
Setting out his department’s fisheries priorities for 2014, Vice Minister for Agriculture Niu Dun said China needs more innovative processing as well as more specialized aquaculture and fishery enterprises. He also promised to give more government support to improve insurance coverage as well as access to credit for the fisheries sector.
