South Korea plans 350 billion won (US$226 million) in discount events for agricultural and fishery products to curb inflation, aiming to keep consumer prices around 3 percent. The finance ministry announced broader discounts up to 30,000 won and direct imports to stabilize prices after a 3.1% rise in May.
NSW will cut the commercial black-lip abalone catch by over 40% to 52 tonnes for 2026-27, the lowest since the 1980s, due to sustainability fears, climate change, and reduced Chinese demand. Commercial fishers dispute a government buyout offer and the cause of stock depletion, with native title holders questioning IUU catch estimates.
Austral Fisheries, the largest operator in Australia's Northern Prawn Fishery, has ended its banana prawn season a month early due to strong fish stocks and hitting business targets. This move aims to minimize fuel costs and improve efficiency, with consumers expecting consistent prices.
Aboriginal custodians on NSW's south coast are launching a sea urchin fishery, backed by a $1.48 million grant, to combat an ecological crisis caused by exploding urchin numbers and restore kelp forests.
Taiwan has accused China of evading its import restrictions by smuggling vegetables like Napa cabbage and shiitake mushrooms through Vietnam, repackaging them as Vietnamese goods. Agriculture minister Chen Junne-jih announced measures including aerial surveys in Vietnam and strict penalties to combat this "origin laundering." DPP legislator Chiu Yi-ying revealed fraudulent Vietnamese certificates cost as little as $410, enabling profits of $6,400-$16,000 per container.
Chinese scientists have achieved a breakthrough in artificial eel breeding, cultivating over 3,000 high-quality breeding parents and more than 3 million fry through refined nutritional enhancement and environmental simulation. The national research program, launched in December 2024, passed preliminary acceptance in March at testing bases in Hainan and Fujian. China accounts for 75 per cent of the world's farmed eels and exported more than 65,000 tonnes in 2025.
