U.S. surimi exports drop to a 14-year low, accelerating restructuring of Asian market

The import pace in traditional core markets Japan and South Korea is becoming more cautious, while the more critical changes come from the restructuring on the supply side. The production of Russian pollock surimi reached a historic high in 2025, with industry statistics showing that production has exceeded the 80,000-ton mark. The release of large-scale on-board processing capabilities enables Russian products to directly connect with the Northeast Asian market. The shift in the Chinese market is most noticeable. The proportion of Russian surimi in China's import structure has continued to rise, reaching an absolute dominant position. The price gap has widened, causing American surimi to gradually lose its cost advantage. The Japanese market has also seen changes in market share. Russian products have formed competitiveness in terms of price and supply stability, while American products rely more on traditional customers and brand advantages to maintain their share. India has become a standout market in 2025, with noticeable growth in imports, but the volume is still insufficient to fill the gap in traditional Asian markets. The global consumption center of surimi remains concentrated in East Asia and Southeast Asia, and changes in the regional structure directly determine the export trend. For China, the increase in Russian supply brings positive effects of price stability and ample supply, which is beneficial for surimi processing enterprises to control costs. However, the highly concentrated supply source also means that if there are fluctuations in quotas, sanctions, or logistics in the future, the risks will be magnified. In the context of overall stability in global pollock quotas, Russia's expansion plans are still moving forward, with new ships and new production capacities being gradually introduced. If the United States cannot achieve a breakthrough in cost or product differentiation, its market space in Asia will continue to be compressed.