One month has passed in 24 days since the release of treated water accumulated at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant began, and the impact of China, the largest export destination for Japan marine products, has completely suspended imports is not limited to marine products themselves, but also extends to the export of food products that use marine products as raw materials.
According to an interview survey conducted in Hokkaido, due to China's total suspension of imports of Japan marine products, the stock of frozen scallops has increased and storage costs have increased, and when we sought to export to countries other than China, we received requests from Western companies to reduce prices.
The impact of China's import ban is not limited to marine products themselves.
A food manufacturer in Nishi-ku, Sapporo, used to export hot pot soup and dashi stock to China, but on August 8, a trader told us that they could not export foods that used domestic bonito flakes and oyster extracts as raw materials.
In addition, orders for Genghis Khan sauce, which does not use marine products as raw materials, have also stopped.
Since this company started exporting to China five years ago, it has gradually expanded its scale, and last year it had sales of about 25 million yen.
Koji Fukuyama, president of Bell Foods, said, "We are very surprised that we are unable to export products that contain marine products as extracts, and I hope that the issue of suspension of imports will be settled down as soon as possible and things will be restored."
Ehime fisheries industry PR activities to Europe and other countries to secure sales channels
In addition, China's total suspension of imports of Japan seafood products continues to affect the fisheries industry, and the development of alternative sales channels has become an issue.
China's import suspension measures in response to the release of treated water accumulated at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant continue to affect fisheries in Ehime Prefecture, which exported fresh and frozen fish to China.
Of these, fisheries companies in Uwajima City accounted for about 1% of all exports to China, such as striped mackerel and tuna, but shipments to China have completely stopped since the end of last month.
This company believes that it is necessary to secure sales channels other than China, and plans to focus on PR activities in Europe and other countries.
Hisao Ogihara, director of Iyosui, said, "In China, Japan fish has been well evaluated and we want to grow the market, so we hope for an early solution, but we also need to consider changing sales channels."
Of the value of marine products exported to China last year, 13% of Ehime Prefecture's seafood exports were destined, but according to the prefecture, fisheries companies are moving to change shipping destinations other than China.
However, since such a trend is also taking place in other production areas in Japan, the prefecture has received inquiries such as "there are cases where it cannot be shipped due to competition," so the development of alternative sales channels has become an issue.
The prefecture wants to collect information from vendors and support the development of sales channels in Europe and the United States.