Trainees of the exchange program visit the Guangdong aquaculture center to study fry cultivation. (Photo: Li Sikun/GT)
Myanmar can help meet China's basa demand
CHINA
Wednesday, January 16, 2019, 22:10 (GMT + 9)
Myanmar is in a unique position to fill the huge gap China faces in imports of basa fish (pangasius), industry experts said in a recent course of a bilateral exchange program in the province of Guandong.
Location of Myanmar (green) in ASEAN (dark grey) left. Myanmar most important cities in Southeast Asia.(right)
The program aims to boost cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries under the framework of the Belt and Road initiative.
Production cycle of Pangasius hypophthalmus (Photo: FAO)
"China surpassed the US as the world's top importer of basa fish in 2016 after it loosened relevant import restrictions," Zhang Jiasong, an expert with the South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, told the Global Times.
According to Zhang, China needs around 1.5 million to 2 million tonnes of Basa fish each year. China produces only 20,000 to 30,000 tonnes of this tropical fish, and imports about 700,000 tonnes.
In Xiao Haidong´s opinion, a manager at Guangdong Nutriera Group, Myanmar is an ideal country to breed basa fish. It is easy and cheap to breed and it has more tolerance of low-oxygen environments, which suits conditions in Myanmar, where electricity-powered oxygen boosters are not widely available.
Vietnam is the world's current leader in basa fish production, with 1.4 million tonnes of annual output, and they mainly export this fish to the US.
Aquaculture exports are an important source of foreign exchange for Myanmar. According to the country´s industry figures, it earned USD 711 million in fiscal year 2017-18.
Chinese experts believe exchange programs offer a chance for the two sides to understand each other. This will pave the way for Chinese aquaculture technology exports and offer a chance for the Chinese aquaculture industry to explore overseas markets.
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