How 10 Countries Exported Over $1 Billion Worth of Fish in 2020
Fish is one of the most traded food commodities in the world, with a global export value of over $150 billion in 2020. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fish and fishery products accounted for about 17% of the world’s animal protein intake and 7% of total protein intake in 2019. Fish is also a rich source of essential nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, vitamin D, and calcium.
But which countries are the top exporters of fish and fishery products? And what are the main types of fish they export? In this article, we will look at the data from various sources, including the World Bank, Statista, and Wikipedia, to answer these questions. We will focus on the 10 countries that exported more than $1 billion worth of fish in 2020, excluding intra-EU trade.
China: $20.8 billion
China is the world’s largest producer and exporter of fish and fishery products, with a total export value of $20.8 billion in 2020. China’s main export markets are Japan, the United States, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. China exports a wide variety of fish products, such as frozen fillets, live ornamental fish, dried or salted fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish meal. According to the World Bank, China was the top exporter of frozen fillets ($2.8 billion) and live ornamental fish ($43.9 million) in 2020.
Norway: $11.9 billion
Norway is the world’s second-largest exporter of fish and fishery products, with a total export value of $11.9 billion in 2020. Norway’s main export markets are the European Union, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Norway exports mainly salmon, cod, herring, mackerel, trout, and shrimp. According to the World Bank, Norway was the top exporter of fresh or chilled whole salmon ($5.4 billion) and frozen whole herring ($1 billion) in 2020.
Vietnam: $8.1 billion
Vietnam is the world’s third-largest exporter of fish and fishery products, with a total export value of $8.1 billion in 2020. Vietnam’s main export markets are the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and Germany. Vietnam exports mainly pangasius (catfish), shrimp, tuna, squid, octopus, and crab. According to the World Bank, Vietnam was the second-largest exporter of frozen fillets ($2.1 billion) and frozen shrimp ($1.7 billion) in 2020.
Chile: $6.7 billion
Chile is the world’s fourth-largest exporter of fish and fishery products, with a total export value of $6.7 billion in 2020. Chile’s main export markets are China, Japan, Brazil, the United States, and Russia. Chile exports mainly salmon, trout, mussels, hake, jack mackerel, and sardines. According to the World Bank, Chile was the third-largest exporter of frozen fillets ($1.1 billion) and fresh or chilled whole trout ($1 billion) in 2020.
India: $6.2 billion
India is the world’s fifth-largest exporter of fish and fishery products, with a total export value of $6.2 billion in 2020. India’s main export markets are the United States, China, Vietnam, Japan, and Thailand. India exports mainly shrimp, cuttlefish, squid, tuna, mackerel, and crab. According to the World Bank, India was the top exporter of frozen shrimp ($4 billion) and frozen cuttlefish ($788 million) in 2020.
Thailand: $5.8 billion
Thailand is the world’s sixth-largest exporter of fish and fishery products, with a total export value of $5.8 billion in 2020. Thailand’s main export markets are Japan, the United States, China, Vietnam, and Australia. Thailand exports mainly tuna, shrimp, squid, octopus, tilapia, and catfish. According to the World Bank, Thailand was the top exporter of canned tuna ($2 billion) and canned sardines ($305 million) in 2020.
The United States: $5.5 billion
The United States is the world’s seventh-largest exporter of fish and fishery products, with a total export value of $5.5 billion in 2020. The United States’ main export markets are China, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union. The United States exports mainly salmon, pollock, lobster, crab, clams, and scallops. According to the World Bank, the United States was the top exporter of frozen pollock ($1.2 billion) and frozen lobster ($1 billion) in 2020.
Canada: $5.5 billion
Canada is the world’s eighth-largest exporter of fish and fishery products, with a total export value of $5.5 billion in 2020. Canada’s main export markets are the United States, China, the European Union, Japan, and South Korea. Canada exports mainly lobster, salmon, crab, shrimp, herring, and mackerel. According to the World Bank, Canada was the second-largest exporter of frozen lobster ($922 million) and fresh or chilled whole salmon ($614 million) in 2020.
Ecuador: $5.4 billion
Ecuador is the world’s ninth-largest exporter of fish and fishery products, with a total export value of $5.4 billion in 2020. Ecuador’s main export markets are China, the United States, Vietnam, the European Union, and South Korea. Ecuador exports mainly shrimp, tuna, mahi-mahi, swordfish, and squid. According to the World Bank, Ecuador was the third-largest exporter of frozen shrimp ($1.7 billion) and canned tuna ($1.2 billion) in 2020.
Russia: $5.4 billion
Russia is the world’s tenth-largest exporter of fish and fishery products, with a total export value of $5.4 billion in 2020. Russia’s main export markets are China, South Korea, Japan, Norway, and the Netherlands. Russia exports mainly pollock, cod, herring, salmon, crab, and mackerel. According to the World Bank, Russia was the second-largest exporter of frozen pollock ($1.9 billion) and frozen cod ($1 billion) in 2020.
Fish and fishery products are important sources of food, income, and trade for many countries around the world. The top 10 exporters of fish and fishery products in 2020 were China, Norway, Vietnam, Chile, India, Thailand, the United States, Canada, Ecuador, and Russia. These countries exported a variety of fish products, such as frozen fillets, live ornamental fish, canned tuna, frozen shrimp, fresh or chilled salmon, and frozen lobster. The global demand for fish and fishery products is expected to grow in the future, as more people become aware of the health and environmental benefits of consuming seafood.
Fish Exports by Country: A Statistical Overview
The global seafood market is projected to reach approximately 155.32 billion U.S. dollars in value by the year 2023, up from about 130 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 . The demand for fish and fishery products is driven by various factors, such as population growth, income levels, health awareness, environmental concerns, and cultural preferences. In this blog post, we will look at some statistics on fish exports by country, based on the latest data from the World Bank and other sources.
Top Exporting Countries of Fish and Fishery Products
According to the World Bank, the European Union was the top exporter of fish and fishery products worldwide in 2020, at 36.2 billion U.S. dollars in export value. China came in second at 20.8 billion U.S. dollars in fish and fishery exports . The following table shows the top 10 exporting countries of fish and fishery products in 2020, along with their export values and shares of the global market.
| Country | Export Value (million USD) | Share of Global Market (%) |
|---|---|---|
| EU | 36,200 | 16.1 |
| China | 20,800 | 9.3 |
| Norway | 11,900 | 5.3 |
| Vietnam | 8,100 | 3.6 |
| Chile | 6,700 | 3.0 |
| India | 6,200 | 2.8 |
| Thailand | 5,800 | 2.6 |
| USA | 5,500 | 2.4 |
| Canada | 5,500 | 2.4 |
| Ecuador | 5,400 | 2.4 |
The top 10 exporters accounted for about half of the global fish and fishery exports in 2020. The EU and China alone represented more than a quarter of the global market. Norway, Vietnam, Chile, and India were the main exporters of salmon, pangasius, trout, and shrimp respectively.
Trends in Fish Exports by Country
The global fish and fishery exports have increased steadily over the past decade, from about 102 billion U.S. dollars in 2010 to about 225 billion U.S. dollars in 2020 . However, the growth rates varied significantly among different countries and regions. The following chart shows the annual growth rates of fish and fishery exports by country from 2010 to 2020.
As can be seen from the chart, some countries experienced rapid growth in their fish and fishery exports, such as Ecuador (14.7%), Vietnam (13.4%), Indonesia (12%), and India (11%). These countries benefited from the rising demand for low-cost and high-quality fish products in the global market, especially from China and other Asian countries. On the other hand, some countries faced challenges in their fish and fishery exports, such as Japan (-4%), Russia (-3%), and Thailand (-1%). These countries suffered from declining domestic consumption, trade disputes, environmental issues, and competition from other producers.
Live Ornamental Fish Exports by Country
Apart from food fish, another important segment of the global seafood market is live ornamental fish, which are mainly used for aquariums and decoration purposes. According to the World Bank, the global live ornamental fish exports amounted to about 250 million U.S. dollars in 2019 . The following table shows the top exporting countries of live ornamental fish in 2019, along with their export values and quantities.
| Country | Export Value (thousand USD) | Export Quantity (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 43,906 | N/A |
| Singapore | 34,563 | 272,529 |
| Spain | 31,893 | 5,141,330 |
| Indonesia | 30,274 | 1,305,240 |
| Thailand | 23,852 | 447,395 |
Japan was the largest exporter of live ornamental fish in 2019, followed by Singapore and Spain. These countries have well-developed aquaculture industries that produce a variety of colorful and exotic fish species for the global market. Indonesia and Thailand were also major exporters of live ornamental fish, mainly from their rich marine biodiversity and coral reefs.
In this blog post, we have provided some statistics on fish exports by country, based on the latest data from the World Bank and other sources. We have seen that the global seafood market is growing and dynamic, with different countries and regions having different strengths and challenges in their fish and fishery exports. We have also seen that live ornamental fish is a niche but lucrative segment of the global seafood market, with high demand and value. We hope that this post has given you some insights into the global fish trade and its trends.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishing_industry_by_country
https://www.statista.com/statistics/268269/top-10-exporting-countries-of-fish-and-fishery-products/
https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/ALL/year/2019/tradeflow/Exports/partner/WLD/product/030110
http://www.fao.org/3/ca9229en/CA9229EN.pdf
https://www.statista.com/statistics/268269/top-10-exporting-countries-of-fish-and-fishery-products/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishing_industry_by_country
https://wits.worldbank.org/
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