Fresh Fish to be exported to China

Fresh Fish to be exported to China

On November 22 at the Okinawa Prefectural Government, President Tsuyoshi Umazume of Sanko Suisan (third from right) and Section Chief Hitoshi Nakaema (right) and others.


 

November 23, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

On November 22 at the Okinawa Prefectural Government, the Asia Economic Strategy Section held a meeting and announced the establishment of seafood exports from Okinawa to Shanghai, China. The regulations imposed on Japanese food since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident have been strict to maintain the safety of the food.

Fisheries marketing company Sanko Suisan and various agencies, have enabled rapid custom clearance procedures such as radioactivity inspection and issuance of multiple certificates on the same day.

With ANA’s Okinawa freight hub, exports of tuna such as yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna will begin.

 

A fresh fish gets inspected at 5 a.m. and brought to Naha airport by 5 p.m. on the same day.

It can be transported to Pudong Airport in Shanghai during the night and delivered to restaurants in China by the evening of the following day.

 

For food exports to China, radiation tests, production certificates, and hygiene certificates are required.

Export of seafood has been especially difficult to get approval for because it requires freshness.

Now applicants can use the Ministry of Fishery’s electronic application for issuance of production certificates and receive the original copy at the Okinawa General Secretariat on the same day.

Issuance of hygiene certificate which normally takes about one week can be done by applying for it in advance.

Radiation tests can also be conducted on the same day. Related agencies worked together to speed customs clearance.

 

From February this year, transport tests were carried out five times.

On November 21, 300 kilos of tuna was transported for orders from China. Sanko Suisan aims for an export volume of 20 tons, a sales amount of 40 million yen in the fiscal year of 2018 and 50 tons and 100 million yen in the fiscal year of 2019.

In addition to tuna fished in Okinawa, they are also considering expanding exports of seafood such as Diamond squid and farm-raised Malabar grouper.

 

Sanko Suisan President Umazume(?) said, “We would like to strengthen the market in Okinawa with branding and raise the unit price to support the fisheries.”

Director of the Asia Economic Strategy Section Chief Hitoshi Nakaema said, “This is the first step in exporting fresh fish to China”.

He added that he hoped for further expansion of exports.

The prefecture is also accepting inquiries on the export of fresh fish to China by business operators in Okinawa. For inquiries, call 098 (866)2340.

 

(English translation by T&CT and Megumi Chibana)

 

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