[ad_1]
Global exports of fish and related products have risen dramatically in recent decades, from $15 billion in 1980 to $130 billion today. About 50 percent of this comes from developing countries, which earn more net export revenue from fish trade than from tea, rice, cocoa and coffee combined. At the same time, fish supply and value chains have changed dramatically, with huge growth in aquaculture and huge improvements in logistics, distribution and packaging. At the same time, there is growing concern about environmental issues and sustainability. GLOBEFISH, the FAO unit responsible for collecting, assessing and disseminating information and analysis on international fish trade, has nearly three decades of experience in developing regional information networks. But it goes one step further and creates a multiplier effect by coordinating the Global FISHINFONetwork (FIN). FIN connects six regional networks of 85 countries. It provides the latest marketing and trade information needed by everyone – from governments to market researchers to the private sector – to ensure that trade can flow smoothly at all stages of the supply chain.
More than one-third of the world’s fish products are traded internationally, but the nature of this trade has changed over the past decade. Globalization and market liberalization, combined with economic growth in developing countries, increased local demand and the growing importance of aquaculture production, have had a huge impact on the world’s fisheries sector and fish trade in particular. In addition, with trade liberalization, food chains have lengthened and the need for quality control regulations to ensure product safety for consumers has increased.
As the fisheries sector becomes increasingly reliant on regional and international trade for sales, it is vital for those involved to have consistent, independent and reliable market information. Established in 1984, FAO’s Global Fisheries Information System (GLOBEFISH) is recognized as a world leader in the collection, assessment and dissemination of information and analysis, leveling the playing field for participants in today’s global fish trade.
Emerging economies increase regional demand for fish products
Traditionally, developing countries have exported only to major developed country markets. Today, they may also export to their own region to meet the needs of regional consumers, especially in emerging economies in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Moreover, a large share of these exports comes from aquaculture, which is the fastest growing of all food production sectors and supplies nearly half of the fish and fishery products consumed globally.
Connecting each link of the fish chain with information
GLOBEFISH also coordinates the Global FISHINFONetwork (FIN), which links six independent regional fisheries information services working to develop fisheries worldwide: INFOPESCA for South and Central America, INFOFISH for Asia and the Pacific, INFOPECHE for Sub-Saharan Africa, INFOSAMAK for the Arab States, EUROFISH for Eastern and Central Europe, and INFOYU for China.
Collectively, these regional services have more than 80 professionals in information and data processing, analysis and project management who provide technical expertise and capacity building to the world’s producers and exporters. GLOBEFISH also publishes regular analysis of the world seafood market through its main publications – the quarterly GLOBEFISH Highlights and the monthly European Fish Price Report. Its Commodity Update covers the most widely traded seafood species, while the GLOBEFISH Research Program provides in-depth coverage of seafood markets.
In 2010, recognizing the growing importance of fisheries to its member countries, FAO added a fish price index to its other food indices and included fish for the first time in the OECD-FAO agricultural forecasts. The tremendous growth of fisheries and aquaculture in developing countries and their contribution to national economies and local food security has undoubtedly benefited from the information services provided by GLOBEFISH and its FIN partners. This shows what developing countries can achieve in international trade if they are given equal opportunities.
[ad_2]
Source link
