SUMMARY
- China bans Japanese seafood amid radiation concerns from Fukushima's treated water.
- Russia, with 894 approved seafood exporters, seeks to expand its marine footprint in China.
- Japan counters radiation concerns, citing lack of scientific evidence.
Amid China's recent halt on Japanese seafood imports, Russia is keen to expand its own marine offerings to the Chinese market. This decision came after concerns about potential radioactive contamination from the Fukushima nuclear power plant's released water.
Russia, already a major seafood supplier to China, boasts 894 firms with export permits. Rosselkhoznadzor, the official Russian food safety agency, is keen to bolster these numbers. They expressed, "China's appetite for Russian seafood is growing. We're eager to certify more businesses and expand our seafood varieties."
In a bid to smoothen the process, the agency is actively communicating with China about seafood safety and finalizing regulations for marine product exports. The backdrop to this push is China's apprehension about radioactive risks, which led to a comprehensive ban on Japanese seafood.
Interestingly, more than half of Russia's aquatic exports from January to August were destined for China. This encompasses popular catches like pollock, herring, and crab. In terms of sheer volume, Russia exported a staggering 2.3 million metric tons of marine goods last year, with a hefty price tag of $6.1 billion. Major importers included China, South Korea, and Japan.
Meanwhile, Japan defends its stance, highlighting that the contamination fears from Russia and China aren't backed by scientific proof. Rosselkhoznadzor, however, remains vigilant, tightening its checks on Japanese seafood imports and implementing stringent radiation tests on seafood close to Fukushima.
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