Greece's fish producers eyeing Chinese market

Four decades after the introduction of aquaculture in Greece, the country is now a market leader in fish farming in the European Union (EU) and is actively exploring opportunities to sell its fishery products in China, Yannis Pelekanakis, European affairs manager of the Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization (HAPO), has said.

"In terms of total aquaculture production (mussels and fish), Greece ranks fourth in the EU by volume and second by value," Pelekanakis told Xinhua in a recent interview, citing figures published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

"When it comes to fish farming -- mainly (sea) bass and (sea) bream -- Greece ranks first in both volume and value terms, since it accounts for about 60 percent of all bass and bream produced in the EU," he said.

Fish farming is one of the main aquaculture activities in Greece. Currently there are 60-odd companies, mainly family-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), throughout the country operating some 300 fish farms, he explained.

In recent years, 110,000-120,000 tonnes of bass and bream have been produced in Greece annually. Last year, despite the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, production reached 120,000 tonnes, valued at 545 million euros (648 million U.S. dollars), and these figures are expected to rise in the coming years.

HAPO's expectation is to reach 170,000 tonnes by the end of 2030, Pelekanakis said.

Established in 2016, HAPO currently counts 23 members, whose production represents about 85 percent of Greece's total fish farming output. Among the organization's main objectives is the establishment and promotion of the national identity for Greek aquaculture products based on their excellent quality and competitive advantages, he noted.

Greece's bass and bream producers sell mainly in the EU, but also in the U.S., the Middle East and Asia.

"Annually, almost 80 percent of our production is exported to 42 countries and the remaining 20 percent is sold in Greece. In 2020, we exported about 92,000 tonnes of bass and bream valued at around 462 million euros," Pelekanakis said.

Greek seafood suppliers are ready to explore the prospects of increasing their sales in China. Currently, they sell only small quantities of sea bream there.

They pay much attention to China, as it is a dominant player, producer, consumer and trader of fishery products, Pelekanakis said.

"It is a huge market, and we believe that there is an opportunity that we would like to explore," he said. (1 euro = 1.19 U.S. dollars)