By Helga Josupeit
©FAO GLOBEFISH 2008

Scientists against tilapia

A pair of articles focusing on the fats in fish from the July 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association is puzzling consumers and health professionals alike. Consumption of fish, particularly oily fish, at least twice per week is recommended as a front-line fighter against heart disease because it is high in protein, low in total fat, and one of the only naturally-rich sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

But a controversial article claiming fish with lower amounts of omega-3s than omega-6s may be harmful to heart health goes against this recommendation. The article suggests hamburger and bacon might have more heart-healthful properties than tilapia or catfish based solely on their lower omega-6 content. The research into the health effect of the omega-3/omega-6 balance is important, but far from being completed.

The article even suggests that eating catfish or tilapia might be a potentially dangerous food source for consumers with heart disease, arthritis, asthma and other disease. This claim is likely to hit the perception of consumers towards fish products, and might result in lower demand for tilapia in the US market in coming months. The US costumer is generally were sensitive to negative news about food items, especially about fish products.

US imports declined slightly

Obviously the impact of this article on US tilapia consumption has still to be seen. However, overall US imports of tilapia in the first quarter of 2008 fell slightly over the corresponding 2007 figure. This is the first time since the tilapia boom started. It is interesting to note that while fillets import – both in fresh and frozen form – expanded, whole frozen is further losing ground. This product form used to be the main one on the market just three years back, but nowadays accounts for a mere 25% of the market, with a strong declining trend.

The fresh tilapia fillet market is a completely different story, with a strong domination by the Latin American countries. These countries account for about 95% of this market bracket. However, in 2008 China started exporting to this lucrative market, and suppliers from Latin America should keep a close eye on this competition. In the long run, and with the present high transport costs, the position of Latin American in the fresh fillet segment should be safe.

China dominates the frozen whole and the frozen fillet market for tilapia in the USA, accounting for over 80% of this. With lower supplies from China, some Asian countries, such as Indonesia and Thailand, are hoping to gain an increased market share during this year. They are then expecting to keep this tip of the market also in coming years, going for excellent quality. The competitive advantage of China in price terms cannot be matched by any competitor.

Further price hikes likely for tilapia

There are strong indications that prices of tilapia will increase further in coming months, at least until the next generation of tilapia from China can reach the market. As already forecast in the previous issue of the GLOBEFISH Highlights, total US tilapia imports are likely to decline, for the first time in history. However, in the longer term, starting next year, more tilapia will be sold to the US market, representing an attractive whitefish alternative to wild groundfish species, such as cod, hake and Alaska pollack, which are experiencing substantial resource problems.

More information here .