This article was featured in Eurofish Magazine 5 2025.
Croatian tuna, prized for its high quality, is now included in the list of 126 agricultural and food products from Central and Easten European Countries (CEEC) that has been newly approved for import into China. The grant follows the fourth annual China-CEEC Exco and International Consumer Goods fair in Ningbo in east China. Croatia’s new market access is part of China’s broader effort to streamline European import procedures and broaden access to the market in general. Prior to this access Japan had been the primary market for Croatian bluefish tuna. Other Eastern European products, such as Latvian canned fish, have already been approved for the Chinese market. Croatian tuna farmers capture juvenile tuna and fatten them over the course of a few months by feeding them small pelagic fish. The process ensures a high traceability and a high market value.