China: 2022 China Fishery Products Annual

China remained the world's largest seafood producer in 2022, with production expected to reach 67.5 million metric tons (MMT), up from the 66.9 MMT in 2021. Production growth continues to be driven by aquaculture which is expected to increase 1.2 percent year-on-year to reach 54.6 MMT in 2022. During the same period, wild-catch output is expected to decline slightly to 12.9 MMT from the 13 MMT in 2021 due to fewer resources and greater restrictions in both domestic and international waters. Seafood imports surged in 2022 to 4.1 MMT, up 22 percent from the previous year, on strong demand for high-value products including frozen fish, fish fillets and crustaceans. Seafood exports in 2022 were stable at 3.5 MMT, nearly unchanged from the previous year. The end of zero-COVID measures in December 2022 is expected to ease burdens and costs across the seafood industry, which often bore the brunt of policies targeting cold chain products.