Argentina Debuts Unified "Wild and Southern Ocean" Identity at Qingdao and Busan Seafood Expos; Exports to China Reach 146,760 Tonnes in First Nine Months

The Argentine fishing industry, under the unified origin identity "Mar Argentino, salvaje y austral" (Argentine Sea, wild and southern), participated in the China International Fisheries Expo (CFSE) held in Qingdao from October 28 to 30, 2026, and in the Busan International Seafood and Fisheries Expo (BISFE) held in Busan from November 4 to 6. The two expos brought together buyers, distributors and suppliers from China and South Korea respectively. This series of participations was advanced jointly by PromArgentina, the Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) and exporting companies, with the aim of bringing the country's products to international markets; exhibiting collectively under a shared origin identity links each company's commercial offerings to Argentina's fishery resources.

At the Qingdao expo, Argentina had a 120-square-meter national pavilion, organized jointly by PromArgentina and the CFP, featuring product displays, tastings and business meetings with Asian importers and distributors. The list of participating companies published by the CFP includes Achernar, Grupo San Isidro, Gambón Argentino, Lanzal, Argenova, Cabo Vírgenes, Charlie Tango, Conarpesa, Estrella Patagónica, Grupo Arbumasa, Grupo Iberconsa, Maronti, Newsan Food, Prodway International, Distribuidora Marechiare, Red Chamber Argentina and Traweluwn. The products exhibited were mainly Argentine squid (Illex argentinus), Argentine red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) and hake (Merluccius hubbsi), along with other commercially valuable species.

The Qingdao expo itself was sizable: about 1,600 exhibitors from some 53 countries, an exhibition area of nearly 55,000 square meters, and an estimated professional visitor count of more than 35,000. For the Argentine fishing industry, the weight of the host market is particularly notable. From January to September 2026, Argentina's exports to China totaled approximately 146,760 tonnes, worth USD 455.5 million. According to CFP data, this amount accounts for 25% of the sector's export revenue, making China the leading destination by value. PromArgentina stated that the national pavilion conveyed the quality, traceability and sustainability attributes of the products; for companies, the expo also provided an opportunity for direct exchanges on demand. Nicolás Cagliolo, sales director of Estrella Patagónica, said the expo deepened engagement with the Asian market and built relationships for future business.

The Busan expo continued Argentina's presence in Asia. Conarpesa and Newsan Food continued their business activities, organized by PromArgentina with the support of the Argentine Embassy in Seoul, and both companies maintained the "Mar Argentino, salvaje y austral" identity. According to the CFP, the Busan expo gathered 480 exhibitors from 30 countries, with activities including meetings with domestic and international buyers, corporate events, visits to industry facilities and seminars on international trade trends. Exhibits covered seafood and seafood-derived foods, fishing and aquaculture equipment, technology, and marine bio-industry development. Invited buyers included importers, distributors and supermarket chains, as well as hotels, restaurants and catering companies. According to information from the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries cited by PromArgentina, the South Korean market ranks among the top ten destinations for Argentine seafood; in the first eight months of 2026, South Korea received nearly 7,300 tonnes worth about USD 21 million.

Before the Asia trip, Argentina had already conducted promotions in other markets. On October 2, a business matchmaking event in Paris brought together 14 domestic companies with French importers and distributors to promote Argentine red shrimp and Patagonian scallops. From October 6 to 8, Argentina participated in the Conxemar expo in Vigo, with an Argentine pavilion of 150 square meters. At both events, chef Lisandro Ciarlotti conducted live preparation and tastings for potential buyers and visitors. In Vigo, Argentine red shrimp from national waters certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) was also showcased, with participation from the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) and private-sector representatives. From October 20 to 22, four companies participated in the Seafood Show Latin America in São Paulo, with contacts focused on hake fillets and the possibility of expanding red shrimp sales in the Brazilian market.

The common thread between the two Asian expos lies at the commercial level: renewed buyer interest in the species offered at the Argentine stands. After the Qingdao expo, Juan Ignacio Márquez, head of export commercial planning at Newsan, highlighted market interest in squid and Argentine red shrimp and its importance for the upcoming season, placing expectations for the commercial results of contacts established during the expo in the following months.

According to the General Administration of Customs' import and export statistics for August 2026, China imported 340.606 tonnes of warm-water shrimp (penaeid shrimp, under the customs commodity classification HS 0306.17) from Argentina that month, worth USD 2,743,972.0, at an average price of USD 8,056.15 per tonne.