China's 2025 Seafood Imports Surge on Shrimp, Salmon Demand

China's seafood import market recorded strong and structurally differentiated growth in 2025, with official customs data pointing to expanding volumes across major categories including frozen white shrimp, Alaska pollock, Atlantic salmon, and squid and cuttlefish. The latest full-year statistics released by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) provide a comprehensive snapshot of supply concentration, shifting trade flows, and evolving sourcing patterns.

Frozen White Shrimp Imports Exceed 870,000 Tonnes in 2025

According to GACC data, China imported a total of 878,255 tonnes of frozen vannamei shrimp between January and December 2025, with a total import value of USD 4.621 billion.

In 2025, China sourced frozen white shrimp from 24 countries and regions worldwide, including Ecuador, India, Thailand, Argentina, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Venezuela, Malaysia, Australia, Peru, and Pakistan, among others. This reflects a degree of diversification at the supplier level.

However, from a market structure perspective, import volumes remained highly concentrated. The top two suppliers—Ecuador and India—accounted for a combined 90% of China's total frozen white shrimp imports, while the top five suppliers together represented 96%, underscoring the continued dominance of core production origins.

Ecuador maintained its position as China's largest supplier. In 2025, China imported 651,000 tonnes of Ecuadorian white shrimp, accounting for 74.16% of total imports in this category, broadly unchanged from 2024 and reinforcing Ecuador's absolute leadership. Imports were concentrated in the second and third quarters, with volumes peaking between June and August, before easing sequentially in the fourth quarter amid weaker seasonal demand.

Notably, despite a slight softening in shipments to China, Ecuador's overall shrimp exports expanded sharply. Preliminary estimates from the Ecuadorian Aquaculture Association (CNA) indicate that Ecuador's total shrimp exports are expected to reach approximately 1.4 million tonnes in 2025, with 1.28 million tonnes already shipped in the first 11 months, representing an increase of more than 15% year on year compared with 1.21 million tonnes in 2024.

This divergence suggests that incremental Ecuadorian supply was increasingly absorbed by higher-premium markets such as Europe and the United States, resulting in a structural moderation of Ecuador's reliance on the Chinese market.

India emerged as the most notable growth supplier. In 2025, China imported 142,000 tonnes of Indian white shrimp, accounting for 16.17% of China's total shell-on shrimp imports and marking a 6.67% year-on-year increase in volume.

This growth was largely driven by a sharp shift in global trade dynamics. From 27 August 2025, the United States imposed sharply higher tariffs on Indian shrimp imports, raising the duty rate to 50%. The resulting surge in export costs significantly constrained India's access to the US market, prompting large volumes originally destined for North America to be redirected elsewhere. China became a primary alternative destination, with Indian shell-on shrimp exports to China accelerating rapidly from September onward.

Alaska Pollock Imports Rise 5.66% Year on Year

GACC data show that China imported 608,283 tonnes of Alaska pollock in 2025, representing a 5.66% year-on-year increase, with a total import value of USD 851.22 million.

Frozen Alaska pollock (whole fish) dominated imports, reaching 565,933 tonnes and accounting for 93.04% of total pollock imports. Imports of frozen Alaska pollock fillets totaled 10,357 tonnes during the year.

From a sourcing perspective, Russia remained the overwhelmingly dominant supplier, exporting 574,615 tonnes of pollock to China in 2025. This included 535,464 tonnes of frozen whole pollock and 9,212 tonnes of frozen fillets. The United States supplied 30,558 tonnes, comprising 27,413 tonnes of frozen whole fish and 1,091 tonnes of frozen fillets.

Atlantic Salmon Imports Surge to a Record High

China's Atlantic salmon imports expanded sharply in 2025. According to customs data, total imports reached 161,300 tonnes, representing a 50% year-on-year increase and setting a new historical high.

By product category, imports were primarily composed of chilled/frozen whole fish, fillets, and smoked products, with all categories recording strong growth.

Chilled Atlantic salmon (whole fish) remained the core product, with imports of 137,000 tonnes, up 48% year on year, and an import value of RMB 9.5 billion, representing a 27% increase.

Frozen Atlantic salmon (whole fish) imports totaled 19,000 tonnes, posting an even stronger 61% year-on-year increase, with an import value of RMB 900 million, up 51%. Approximately 98% of this volume originated from Chile, with marginal contributions from Iceland, Australia, and Norway.

Fillet imports totaled over 4,800 tonnes, comprising more than 2,200 tonnes of chilled fillets and over 2,500 tonnes of frozen fillets. Smoked salmon imports reached 17 tonnes. While volumes remained small, 2025 marked a breakout year for this segment, with imports surging 1,023% from 1.2 tonnes in 2024.

Squid and Cuttlefish Imports Jump Nearly 42%

China also recorded robust growth in cephalopod imports. In 2025, total imports of squid and cuttlefish products reached 541,519 tonnes, up 41.92% year on year, with a total import value of USD 1.842 billion. Imports of frozen squid and cuttlefish (HS 030743) accounted for 511,437 tonnes.

Peru was the largest growth contributor, exporting 180,604 tonnes to China in 2025, representing a 459.35% year-on-year increase. Indonesia supplied 84,187 tonnes, while Argentina exported 51,407 tonnes, up 23.17% from the previous year.