Mark Godfrey is an Irish journalist covering the agriculture and fisheries sectors in Asia, with a focus on China. Proficient in Mandarin, he has frequently traveled across China's fisheries and aquaculture regions and learned the inner workings of China's corporate world during a nearly three-year stint at the Financial Times' “China Confidential” publication. He has also reported widely across Southeast Asia and the former Soviet Union. He has educational certificates in agriculture and food science, as well as Mandarin.
Author Archive
Indonesian food processor PT United Harvest Indonesia has entered the Chinese snack food market, offering a range of shrimp crackers in the market.
The Jakarta-based firm is now distributing its Deep Ocean Treasure range of dried shrimp snacks through retailers across northern China. PT United has appointed Carme Import and Export Trading Co. as its sole agent for the Chinese market.
Indonesia, which has duty-free access to the Chinese market as
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Chinese premium retailer T11 Food Market is betting on high-end grocery buyers in the country to start buying more Alaskan pollock.
T11 was founded in 2018 by Derek Du, the founder of the 7Fresh supermarket chain, which was sold to JD.com in 2017. Heavily dependent on smart retail technology for its supply chain, it provides fresh groceries through an online platform and a handful of brick-and-mortar stores.
At the T11 Fresh Plaza Food
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Chinese oyster producer Shandong Lighthouse Jellyfish Marine Technology Co. has set its sights on building a market for frozen oysters in the European Union.
The company’s director, Wang Lingling, said it will be introducing its liquid nitrogen frozen fresh oyster meat and half-shell oysters to distributors in Europe.
“They’re ready to use after thawing, which ensures more efficient meal preparation,” Wang told
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Later this year, Chinese officials in Beijing are set to welcome ambassadors from several African nations for the ninth edition of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), previous editions of which have led to the inking of many Chinese-backed infrastructure projects in Africa.
China has the largest diplomatic presence in Africa of any nation, operating 60 diplomatic posts across the continent. Economic ties between China and Africa have
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Formerly focused on breeding and growing scallops, Chinese seafood firm Zoneco is now focused on attracting processing and sourcing work for Western clients.
Zoneco has struggled with profitability since large-scale mortalities occurred in its scallop beds in 2014, 2017, and 2019 due to high water temperatures. It subsequently faced a string of legal cases brought by investors, the loss of its Marine Stewardship Council certification, and the
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China's seafood imports will grow in 2024, according to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report.
The USDA’s China Fishery Products Report, released 22 March 2024, predicts Chinese demand for salmon and lobster is set to continue rising, even after Chinese demand for Norwegian salmon spiked to its highest post-Covid-19 point in 2023.
"The longtime global leader in seafood consumption, Chinese consumers increasingly display
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