Exploring the Production and Marketing Frameworks for Tilapia Farming in China

Abstract

Tilapia has become one of the major species of aquatic products in close link with both domestic and 
international markets. Nowadays, the demand for fish and fisheries product has being exacerbated by 
the continued increase in human population the world over. This was due to the fact that global 
captured fishery was declining following the increased human exploitation for the commercially 
important fishes. Aquaculture or fish farming has become one of the solutions to maintaining the 
continuous supply of fish to commercial markets. China was by far the largest producer and exporter of 
tilapia products irrespective of some constraints such as soaring production costs, price and weather 
fluctuations. In the country, tilapia production was mostly carried out in the southern and southeastern 
coastal areas where subtropical conditions favored the growth and reproduction of the species. This 
paper reports on production and marketing systems of tilapia in China. Tilapia products produced in 
China had to pass through different channels before reaching their final consumers. Major international 
markets for tilapia products produced in China included among others, the United State, European 
Union and Russia. This work will guide potential investors and competitors for tilapia market in China 
and the world at large.