Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative takes to China to promote local produce to international customers

Representatives from the Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative have flown overseas to promote western rock lobsters in China following news of tariffs being lifted. The organisation visited Shanghai for the China International Import Expo last week. More than 3500 exhibitors from 129 countries attended the six-day event. GFC representatives were on the ground, speaking to industry professionals and potential customers about crayfish. Chefs were on hand on the day cooking the lobsters to showcase the best of Mid West produce. The organisation exhibited via the Brand Australia stand, facilitated by Austrade. GFC also participated in the China Fisheries and Seafood Expo in Qingdao, China from October 30-November 1. Co-operative chief executive Marc Anderson said events like these provided plenty of networking opportunities to help expand the business. “CIIE is a unique expo not only because of its sheer size but also because of the range of products and sectors represented,” he said. “Trade shows such as CIIE are important ways for us to connect with new and existing customers and stay current with market and consumer trends. “China is Australia’s largest trading partner and a significant market for Australian seafood because of our sustainability credentials and pristine waters.” Last month, it was announced Chinese tariffs on Australian lobsters would be lifted, marking the end of the country’s ban on several imports from Australia, including barley and wine. The Federal Government said 95 per cent of lobster exports from Australia had Chinese customers in 2019, with that figure reducing to just 2 per cent in 2021. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was recently in Geraldton, saying the industry would bounce back stronger than ever. “What we’ve seen with other industries such as wine and barley is that the export trade has not just bounced back to where it was, it’s bounced back even stronger to China,” he said. “For those people who will celebrate Lunar New Year in the early period of 2025, they’ve missed out on this fantastic product, and they’ll be in even greater demand than they ever were.” Mr Anderson shared similar thoughts, saying the Chinese market was an important one. “Following the CIIE and Qingdao expos and speaking to buyers, we are confident demand will be there when the market returns, and China will play an important role in our diversified marketing and trade activity in the future,” he said.