Some SA rock lobster shipments left stranded at Chinese airport amid trade tensions
SA’s rock lobster industry is scrambling to learn more about customs delays in China, after some shipments were left stranded at a Chinese airport.
SA News
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South Australia’s rock lobster industry fears it may be China’s next target after wine, beef and barley.
Australia’s rock lobster exports to China have been temporarily halted after shipments faced customs delays in the past few days.
The industry is scrambling to learn more today, after 21 tonnes of lobster shipments were stranded at Chinese airports for additional screening and others passed through customs as usual.
SA industry figures had been hoping for a strong season, after COVID-19 cancelled Lunar New Year celebrations in China in January, effectively ending demand for Australian rock lobster overnight.
SA sends about $68.8 million worth of rock lobster to China a year, while Australian rock lobster exports to China are worth about $714 million.
Only SA and WA exports are impacted at this stage, as other states have yet to open their rock lobster seasons.
Wine makers are also bracing for China to make a decision on whether it will impose interim tariffs during an anti-dumping investigation in coming weeks.
“For a few days now we’ve been getting reports from industry that a number of shipments of Australian rock lobster to China have faced delays and additional screening in terms of their entry into China,” Trade Minister Simon Birmingham told ABC radio.
“Some cargoes have cleared, so this hasn’t been a full blockage or stoppage.
“But there have been sufficient delays that the industry, given the high value and short shelf-life of these sorts of products, has decided to suspend for a period of time some of its exports while it tries to get a better understanding of exactly what these new import screening processes China has put in place are.”
Asked about the wine inquiry, Senator Birmingham said the process was “reaching a point where we would anticipate that there may be some interim decisions made in the next little while”.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said China wants to test up to 50 per of rock lobsters coming in for heavy metals.
“There is already arrangements within Australia to do testing to make sure the product we send is of highest class in the world,” he told Sky News.
But he said there were “serious concerns” that Australia has been singled out on this.
“There has been no other nation that is exporting rock lobster into China that has been asked to do this,” he said.
“We have asked for clarification because Australia ultimately is a fair country, we live by the rules of WTO, and we expect those countries that we trade with to do the same.
“We are expecting clarification from Chinese officials today.”
Southern Rocklobster Limited executive officer Tom Cosentino said the industry was hoping to clarify the situation with Chinese authorities today.
“We’re no stranger to extra checks,” he told ABC radio, adding that China and other countries increased or changed their customs processes from time to time.
He added that the lobster shipments were not “on a tarmac” in China, as initially feared.
“It will be brought inside in a temperature controlled environment.” he said.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr Cosentino said the majority of rock lobster exporters would stop sending shipments to China until more is known about the new process.
“We’re confident that Australian rock lobster industry’s reputation as a global leader in quality, reliability and sustainability will meet the standards of the new process,” he said.
“Our food safety and quality systems are world class.
“We will provide an up-date when we know more.”
