WHEN thinking of countries producing caviar, China is usually not part of the equation. However, caviar made in China is gradually gaining popularity in international markets. It is all thanks to the arduous efforts of Chinese enterprises. China’s largest caviar producer is in the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang. In 2019, the caviar output of Hangzhou Thousand Island Lake Sturgeon Technology Co. reached 102 tons, accounting for over 30 percent worldwide. “Our products appear in hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets in over 20 countries, such as France, Germany, and the United States,” said Xia Yongtao, deputy general manager of the company. The company was founded in 2003. Back then, the global caviar industry was sluggish as the number of wild sturgeons slumped, and various countries started fishing bans. “We intended to ride the wave of Western countries’ unsatisfied demands. But difficulties came one after another as we lacked the experience to meet sturgeons’ high demand in the water temperature and oxygen content, as well as feedings,” Xia said. “Sturgeons are fragile,” said Shi Zhenguang, who started sturgeon breeding with his brother in Yunnan Province in 2003. Xia’s Sturgeon Technology invited experts from Russia, Iran, Hungary, and Germany to give technical guidance. At present, over half of all sturgeon farms in the world are in China. Chinese caviar producers are also turning their attention to the domestic market. Last year, the pandemic weighed on overseas consumer demands, but Sturgeon Technology has witnessed rising sales volumes as it cooperated with leading e-commerce platforms and tried livestreaming sales. The company will cooperate with the local government to invest in leisure tourism projects to attract more domestic consumers, Xia said.(Xinhua) |