Analysis of Chinese tilapia supply and demand without and with the COVID-19 epidemic impact

Abstract

We analyzed the supply and demand for tilapia in China while assessing the future developmental trends. China has become the world’s largest producer, exporter, and consumer of tilapia. China entered a period of rapid aquaculture development in the 1990s, and the tilapia supply has increased yearly. Tilapia products are mainly supplied to the international market, especially the US. The global market for the Chinese tilapia has grown dramatically, but a downward trend occurred in 2019–2020. The Chinese domestic market demand is relatively stable, and even the COVID-19 epidemic did not significantly impact the supply and demand of tilapia. Internationally, it is expected that the demand for tilapia will decline considerably in the near future. However, this decline could be alleviated after the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic passes and increasing demand will resume. The increased supply of Chinese tilapia might slow down or even decrease due to market uncertainty, the increasing constraints on natural resources, and the Chinese government's requirements for high-quality aquaculture environments.