China’s salmon imports surge by 46%: Locally farmed rainbow trout becomes the new market favorite

In recent years, China's demand for farmed salmon has continued to rise, with imports reaching new highs. According to the latest data, China's salmon imports will increase by 46% year-on-year in 2023, of which fresh and chilled Atlantic salmon imports will increase significantly by 63%. This rapid growth is reshaping the global seafood trade pattern.

As China's consumer market continues to expand, salmon exporters from Scotland, Norway, Chile, Australia, the Faroe Islands, Canada and Iceland have stepped up their presence in the Chinese market to seize this rapidly growing market. However, China's efforts to produce Atlantic salmon locally have faced numerous technical and environmental challenges, leading to increasing demand for alternatives. Rainbow trout is a fish species that is similar in appearance, taste and nutritional value to salmon. Its acceptance in the Chinese market has gradually increased, and it has become one of the main choices to fill the market gap.

Chinese consumer demand for salmon continues to rise

With the development of China's economy and the upgrading of consumption, seafood products have gradually become a must-have on the daily tables of middle- and high-income consumers. Salmon has become a hot-selling product in the market due to its high nutritional value and diverse ways of eating (sashimi, sushi, barbecue, frying, etc.).

In addition, the eating habits of China's younger generation of consumers are changing rapidly and they are paying more attention to healthy eating. Salmon, which is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, is therefore favored. According to market surveys, Chinese consumers' demand for salmon has increased by more than 20% annually over the past five years and is expected to maintain rapid growth in the future.

Imported salmon has high logistics and environmental costs

Although the Chinese market has an increasing demand for imported salmon, the logistics process of long-distance transportation from the Scottish lakes, Norwegian fjords and Chilean waters to China involves complex cold chain technology and high environmental costs. Salmon farming itself is a highly resource-intensive industry, requiring large amounts of feed, water resources and energy inputs. The transportation of cross-continental supply chains further aggravates the carbon emission problem and poses challenges to the sustainable development of the global environment.

In addition, Chinese consumers have extremely high requirements for the freshness of seafood, which has prompted e-commerce platforms to enter the market aggressively and promoted the "instant delivery" supply model. However, although efficient cold chain technology ensures the freshness of imported salmon, its energy consumption and environmental impact are still issues of concern to the industry.

At present, although a number of aquatic product sustainable development certifications (such as MSC and ASC certification) are implemented in the international market, the influence of these standards in the Chinese market is still limited. How to strike a balance between market demand and environmental responsibility in the future will become an important issue that the industry must face.

Locally farmed rainbow trout a viable alternative

In 2018, the Chinese government approved that rainbow trout can be labeled and sold as “salmon.” This move blurred the line between imported Atlantic salmon and locally farmed rainbow trout, making the more affordable rainbow trout a choice for more consumers. At present, China's rainbow trout farming is mainly concentrated in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Sichuan, Yunnan and Xinjiang. These areas have cold water resources and are suitable for the growth environment of rainbow trout. According to 2022 data, China's local rainbow trout production reached 37,000 tons. Although it is still in the preliminary development stage compared with the global market, it has shown strong growth momentum.

Why does rainbow trout farming have potential?

1️⃣ Reduce dependence on imports: Local breeding can reduce the impact of international market price fluctuations on the Chinese market and improve the stability of China’s seafood industry.

2️⃣ Meet consumers’ demand for freshness: Locally farmed products can significantly shorten the supply chain and ensure consumers get fresher fish products.

3️⃣ Reduce carbon footprint: Compared with imported salmon, locally farmed rainbow trout has lower transportation costs and carbon emissions, which is in line with current environmental protection trends.

4️⃣ Promote local economic development: The development of the rainbow trout breeding industry will create more employment opportunities in rural areas and drive local economic growth.

Global market impact: Industrial transformation is imminent

The changes in China's seafood market are profoundly affecting the global aquatic product supply chain. As Chinese consumers' demands for quality, freshness and sustainability increase, global salmon exporters must adjust their strategies to adapt to market changes.

In the future, investing in environmentally friendly aquaculture technologies will be key to the development of the industry, such as:

🔹 Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) - improve production efficiency and reduce pollution by filtering and reusing water resources

🔹 Feed optimization technology - reduce food waste during breeding and improve resource utilization

🔹Waste Recycling - Convert nutrient waste from the breeding process into other food production raw materials

If the market share of domestically farmed rainbow trout in China continues to rise, suppliers from Europe, Canada and other major salmon exporting countries will face fierce competition and may even need to readjust their market strategies to cope with changes in Chinese consumer demand.

Conclusion: China’s aquatic products market moves into a new era

Demand for farmed salmon continues to rise in China, and despite the technical and environmental challenges faced by native Atlantic salmon farming, rainbow trout farming is becoming a viable and sustainable solution. Against the background of intensified competition in the global aquaculture industry, changes in China's aquatic products market will reshape the future salmon trade pattern and bring new opportunities and challenges to the global industry. With the further growth of market demand, how to strike a balance between consumer demand, environmental responsibility and industrial competition in the future will become a core issue in China's and even the global aquaculture industry.