FAO: South Korea Surpasses US to Become World’s Second-Largest Crab Importer in Q1
According to a September 30 report from SeafoodNews, a FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) report states that South Korea surpassed the United States to become the world’s second-largest importer of crabs in Q1 2026, following a 10% drop in U.S. purchasing volumes.
Global crab trade volume remained stable at approximately 92,000 tonnes in the first quarter, with China accounting for around 37% of the global total.
Canada’s snow crab exports were sluggish in Q1 due to a delayed fishing season, yet shipments are expected to recover as landings pick up pace. Canada typically sends more than 90% of its snow crab to the United States.
Indonesia has emerged as a new supplier of crabs for the U.S. market, mainly driven by pasteurized blue swimming crab meat for the foodservice sector. With Russian snow crab shut out of the U.S. market, most of Russia’s consignments now go to China and South Korea.
The global snow crab catch for 2026 is projected to reach nearly 150,000 tonnes. Canada leads production with roughly 90,000 tonnes, while Russia’s output exceeds 50,000 tonnes.
King crab supplies are tightening: Norway cut its quota by 44%, and live Russian king crab continues to flow into Asian markets.
The FAO report notes that ample snow crab supplies have barely eased the shortage of king crab in the United States, where prices remain exceptionally high.
Comments