PNG to export seafood directly to China through registered companies

By DALE LUMA
THE country can now export seafood directly to mainland China, according to Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resource Dr Lino Tom.
He said 77 companies had been recognised by the General Administration Chinese Customs (GACC) to export seafood to China.
More companies are registered to tap into the Chinese market.
“PNG has attained accreditation as an approved country to export its seafood directly to mainland China,” Tom said.
“Our registered companies will no longer have to go through Singapore or Hong Kong or a third country to access the Chinese seafood market which is probably one of the biggest in the world.
“These entities include 35 seafood companies, 31 cold storage, nine fishing vessels including general fishing, purse seine and prawn trawlers and two carriers.
“More companies will be added and registered by the GACC when the health certificate for live seafood is submitted, along with satisfying the usual administrative requirements.”
Tom said China’s fisheries trade was more than US$21 billion (K72.6bil), with a 26.7 per cent growth in import valued in the middle of last year.
Chinese ambassador Xue Bing said China had a big market “and we have 1.4 billion people”.
“The middle income earners are increasing at a very vast pace and living standard has steadily risen with ordinary people looking for quality product,” he said.
“PNG is in a position to produce because you have two million square kilometres of sea and marine products.”