Russia Increases Imports Of Chinese Aquatic Products, With Mackerel And Trout Surges

The latest Russian market data shows that Russia's imports of fish and seafood from China increased significantly in the first seven months of 2025, with import volume increasing by 25% year-on-year to 57,000 tons and import value increasing by 15% year-on-year to US$237 million. This trend highlights China's central role in Russia's aquatic product supply chain and reflects the market reshaping amid international sanctions.

Mackerel and Trout Imports Increased Significantly

By category, frozen mackerel and trout saw the most significant growth. Frozen mackerel imports more than doubled to 14,000 tons, valued at $19 million. This growth was primarily driven by a decline in Russian mackerel catches in 2024, with China quickly filling the supply gap.

Frozen trout imports saw even stronger growth, increasing 2.2 times year-on-year to 4,000 tons, valued at $35 million. Industry insiders noted that with rising domestic demand for salmonids in Russia and declining exports from traditional supplier Turkey, China has become a key source of supply to fill the gap.

Meanwhile, imports of frozen saury also surged, reaching 7,500 tons, up 45% year-on-year, with a value of $13 million, a staggering 85% year-on-year increase. This indicates that demand for small and medium-sized pelagic fish remains strong in the Russian market.

However, not all categories saw growth. Imports of fried eel fillets fell 20%, suggesting possible market saturation, while dried squid imports declined 30%, indicating weak demand despite price increases.

China's Key Position

It's worth noting that while Russia itself is a major global seafood exporter, it has become increasingly dependent on China for imports. Western sanctions following the outbreak of the Ukrainian war have forced adjustments to Russia's seafood trade. China is not only the primary export destination for seafood from the Russian Far East (such as salmon, crab, haddock, surimi, and sardines), but also serves as a processing and re-export hub for imports into the Russian market.

Many aquatic products from around the world are first processed in China, including cutting, pickling, and packaging, before being exported to Russia, ensuring market supply diversity and price stability. Chinese imports have become an irreplaceable supplement, especially for categories where Russian domestic catches are declining.

Industry experts point out that the aquatic product trade relationship between Russia and China is characterized by "two-way complementarity": Russia exports large quantities of raw fish caught in the Far East to China, while China in turn supplies Russia with processed finished products. This structure not only strengthens the viability of bilateral trade but also provides Russia with a stable supply and sales channel amidst restrictions in the international market.