Russia’s seafood export revenue to China rises 50% to $3.05 billion

Revenue outpaces growth in shipment volume

Russia exported $3.05 billion of fish and seafood to China during the first eight months of 2026, 1.5 times the value recorded in the same period of 2025, Interfax reported. Physical shipments rose 19% year on year to 926,000 tonnes, according to the Russian Fish Union’s analysis of data from China’s General Administration of Customs.

The gap between the growth rates for revenue and volume indicates that higher prices and a shift toward valuable products made a major contribution to the result. Pollock, cod and crab together accounted for most of the detailed export value disclosed by the union, while each category recorded higher physical deliveries.

Pollock remains the largest product by volume

Exports of frozen pollock increased 25% by volume to 470,000 tonnes. Their value rose almost 1.8 times to $844 million. The Russian Fish Union said high pollock prices on the world market were encouraging producers to focus on the species and increase export shipments.

China therefore remained an important destination for Russia’s large pollock harvest and processing chain. The much faster increase in earnings than in tonnage benefits fishing companies, but it also raises purchasing costs for Chinese processors using imported pollock as raw material.

Shipments of frozen pollock fillets rose 15% to 6,000 tonnes, while revenue increased 35% to $15 million. Russia also supplied China with about 16,000 tonnes of surimi worth more than $45 million, although the union did not provide year-on-year comparisons for that product.

Lower cod quota supports prices

Frozen cod exports increased 25% to 65,000 tonnes, while their value climbed 1.8 times to $523 million. According to the union, the rise in global cod prices was partly connected to the Russian-Norwegian fisheries commission’s decision to reduce the 2026 total allowable catch for Atlantic cod in the Barents Sea by 16% from 2025, to 347,000 tonnes.

Russia’s share of that quota is 133,000 tonnes. The restricted catch creates a tighter supply environment for exporters and processors, helping explain why cod revenue grew substantially faster than shipment volume. Chinese buyers face higher raw-material costs even as Russia sends more cod to the market.

Crab exports rise with Russian catches

Exports of live crab to China increased 20% by volume to 28,000 tonnes and 30% by value to $790 million. Frozen crab shipments grew still faster: volume rose 45% to 5,000 tonnes, while revenue doubled to $99 million.

The expansion occurred as Russia’s crab catch increased 9% year on year to 62,000 tonnes in January-August 2026, the union said. Higher catches supported additional exports, while the stronger growth in frozen crab revenue suggests favorable pricing or a richer product mix. Across the broader seafood trade, Russia’s 19% increase in tonnage translated into a 50% rise in earnings, strengthening China’s role as a high-value market for Russian fishing companies.