US Tariffs Hit China’s Tilapia Industry Hard

In Maoming, a coastal city in southern China, the tilapia industry is facing a major crisis as US tariffs disrupt its primary export market.

Once shipping over 100,000 tonnes of tilapia annually to the United States, enough to feed 25 million Americans, the city’s $425 million industry is now struggling under a 170% tariff.

Industry workers warn that the impact stretches beyond Maoming, affecting supply chains in both countries. As domestic demand remains weak and alternative markets like Europe and Africa fall short, the city’s once-thriving aquaculture sector is holding out hope for a resolution to the trade dispute.