China’s Tilapia Industry Hit by Typhoon Wipa, Export Slump Creates Market Turmoil | CHF Seafood News

China’s Tilapia Industry Hit by Typhoon Wipa and Export Slump

China’s tilapia industry is facing a double shock of supply-demand imbalance and natural disaster after Typhoon Wipa, the strongest typhoon of 2025, struck on July 20. Although no direct damage to fish farms has been reported, the typhoon’s ripple effect has worsened an already oversupplied seafood market.

Tilapia Prices Fall Below RMB 7/kg After Typhoon

Following Typhoon Wipa’s landfall in Guangdong, tilapia farm-gate prices plummeted. Monitoring data shows that in week 30, Guangdong processing plants lowered purchase prices for 500–800g tilapia by RMB 0.20/kg week-on-week, reaching a historic low. Prices in Hainan and Guangxi also fell by RMB 0.2–0.4/kg. Many farmers harvested early to reduce typhoon risk, pushing Guangdong’s market prices below the RMB 7/kg threshold, as low as RMB 6.96/kg.

Weak Tilapia Export Demand Worsens Oversupply

Weak overseas demand has become the “last straw” for the Chinese tilapia industry. A major Hainan processor revealed:

“U.S. orders have been suspended for months, and cold storage is heavily backlogged.”

Exporters in Guangdong described the current situation as the industry’s “darkest moment,” with raw material purchases nearly halted. Domestic market prices are about RMB 0.4/kg lower than export-registered farm prices, showing the burden of environmental compliance.

U.S. Tilapia Market Saturated Despite Stable Fillet Prices

In the U.S. seafood market, wholesale prices for Chinese tilapia fillets remain stable (USD 3.20–3.50/lb for standard, USD 3.40–3.70/lb for additive-free). However, importers are not benefiting from lower Chinese raw material prices due to saturated inventories and weak retail demand. Cold storage in the U.S. has reached “alert levels,” stalling new order negotiations.

Industry Outlook: Supply Tightening Expected

Facing this crisis, Chinese processors are turning to Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) seafood solutions to move inventory. According to the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance, stocking volume is expected to fall by 30% next quarter, which could tighten supply by year-end.