Australian lobster halted by Chinese customs checks, fuels trade dispute concerns
02 November, 2020
Australia has stopped sending rock lobster to its biggest market of China after new Chinese customs inspections were imposed on the live seafood, a business group and the Australian government said.
The brand new inspection delays come amid diplomatic tensions between the two nations, raising concerns in Australia that the live seafood trade would be the latest sector targeted for trade reprisals from Beijing.
Australia's agriculture minister David Littleproud said Australia had "serious concerns" about the inspections that started out on Friday (Oct 30), and Australian officials were attempting to get clarification from Beijing.
The rock lobster is being checked for trace factors of minerals and metals, he told ABC television, adding that the seafood had recently been tested before it left Australia. He questioned "why this step has been taken against Australian rock lobster".
The Seafood Trade Advisory Group said on Sunday most Australian exporters had stopped sending lobster to China as a result of the risk of delays caused by the increased import inspections in China.
"Whilst some cargo has been cleared, there are continued risks of delays while new processes are being implemented," the group said in a statement.
"To mitigate this risk a decision has been created by the majority of exporters to avoid sending shipments to China until more is well known about the brand new process."
From 2018 to 2019, China was the destination for about 94 % of Australia's A$752 million (US$527 million) in rock lobster exports, according to government data.
Tom Cosentino, executive officer at exporter Southern Rocklobster, said he believed it had been "a stretch too far to say this relates to any trade dispute".
"We will see out far more today about the new screening processes," he told Reuters.
China has been angered by Australia's demand an international inquiry in to the origins of the coronavirus, which year imposed dumping tariffs on Australian barley, suspended some beef imports, commenced a dumping investigation into Australian wine and changed conditions for Australian cotton.
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