|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RSS |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Volume 33, Issue 6 (2-2025) |
 |
|
|
|
|
Ranking of factors affecting the development of Iran's shrimp exports to China
|
Hosein Saeedi1   , Yazdan Moradi2 , Abbas Mokhtari Abkenari3 |
1- University of Tehran
2- Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institue
3- Iran Fisheries Organization |
|
|
Abstract: (141 Views) |
Introduction
The agricultural export sector plays a significant role in Iran's non-oil exports, particularly in food and agricultural products. These products are crucial for securing foreign currency and supporting the national economy. In 2022, Iran's agricultural product exports reached over 5.2 billion dollars, representing 9.77% of total non-oil exports. However, the sector remains highly reliant on imports, which amounted to around 17.8 billion dollars, highlighting the importance of domestic production growth and export development to achieve a positive trade balance. One of the key products in Iran's agricultural export portfolio is shrimp. According to Iran's Fisheries Statistical Report, shrimp exports in 2022 totaled over 37,000 tons, accounting for nearly 21% of the country's fishery exports. This generated over 600 million dollars in foreign currency, with shrimp contributing more than 180 million dollars. With total shrimp production in 2022 reaching 68,267 tons, more than 55% was exported, underscoring shrimp's importance as a major export product. China is one of the largest shrimp markets globally and has been a consistent top destination for Iran's shrimp exports. In 2021, China imported over 4 billion dollars worth of shrimp, and the demand for imports continued to rise in the first half of 2022, showing a growth of 25.8%. From 2017 to 2021, China consistently ranked as the primary destination for Iran’s shrimp, except for 2020 when the UAE took the lead. Recently, Russia has also emerged as a growing export market for Iran's shrimp, with exports to Russia surpassing 17 million tons in 2022. This research aims to rank the obstacles to expanding Iran's shrimp exports to China and provide recommendations for overcoming these challenges. Understanding the factors influencing this market is vital to enhancing Iran's shrimp export capacity and maintaining its competitive position in the global shrimp trade.
Methodology
Through the review of scientific sources, reports from relevant organizations, library studies, and interviews with experts from both government and private sectors, and exporters, 36 factors influencing the export of Iranian shrimp to China were identified, and a questionnaire was developed. The research variables were measured using the Likert scale, with respondents answering the questionnaire questions on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = very low, 2 = low, 3 = moderate, 4 = high, and 5 = very high. The overall framework of the questionnaire questions and each of the potential factors included in the questions were validated through interviews with experts and confirmed for content validity. The target population consisted of individuals who had significant experience in shrimp exports or had worked in the fisheries sector, in either executive, research, or production roles. The data collected from the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS analytical software. The results were then evaluated, and based on the analysis; answers to the research questions were derived.
Results
A total of 53 participants completed the survey, with an average age of 62 years. The sample was predominantly male, as 92% of respondents were men, while only 8% were women. In terms of age distribution, 38% of participants were over 60 years old, which constituted the largest group, followed by 26% in the 51-60 age range. Regarding educational qualifications, 40% of respondents held a doctoral degree or higher, while 53% had at least a master's degree. This indicates a highly educated respondent pool with substantial expertise in the field of shrimp export. The majority of respondents (72%) had more than 20 years of experience in the shrimp and fisheries sector, indicating an experienced sample. Only 13% had less than 10 years of experience. Of the participants, 43% were involved in shrimp export, and 42% were engaged in shrimp processing. The sample also included experts from various subfields of the fisheries sector: 38% were fisheries experts, 19% were researchers, 34% were shrimp farmers, and 9% were involved in fishing. Many respondents were active in multiple areas of the shrimp industry.
Data Analysis: The data collected using a 5-point Likert scale (ranging from 1 = very low to 5 = very high) were ordinal in nature, which necessitated the use of non-parametric tests. To ensure the validity of the statistical methods, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied to assess the normality of the data distribution. The results indicated that the data did not follow a normal distribution (p-value<0.05), supporting non-parametric methods for further analysis.
Chi-Square Analysis: The Chi-square test was employed to explore the relationships between the identified barriers and export outcomes. The null hypothesis posited that no significant relationships existed between the variables while rejecting this hypothesis would indicate meaningful relationships. The Chi-square results revealed that 9 factors, including limited production capacity, poor product quality, lack of product diversity, and weak adherence to health standards in the destination country, did not show a significant relationship with export outcomes (p > 0.05). This suggests that these factors did not substantially affect the success of shrimp exports. However, 27 factors exhibited significant relationships with export outcomes (p-value < 0.05). These factors included limited access to international banking services, restrictions on money transfers for purchasing inputs, weak branding, low competitiveness of Iranian exporters in the Chinese market, fluctuations in exchange rates, misalignment between production and export strategies, limited financial and operational capacity of exporters, lack of marketing knowledge, lack of coordination between export-related agencies, absence of export consortiums in the Chinese market, and insufficient banking support for production and export financing. These variables were identified as the most pressing barriers to the growth of shrimp exports from Iran to China.
Friedman Test: To evaluate the importance of each identified barrier, a Friedman test was conducted, ranking the barriers based on the respondents’ ratings. The null hypothesis assumed no differences in the rankings of the barriers, but the results indicated significant differences (p-value < 0.05), meaning the barriers were ranked differently by the participants. The rankings highlighted that the top challenges to shrimp exports were “Limited access to international banking services,” ranked first, followed by “Restrictions on money transfers for inputs and funds repatriation” in second place, and “Weak branding” in third. These were considered the most critical factors that needed to be addressed to improve export performance. Other important barriers included “Low competitiveness of Iranian exporters in China,” “Exchange rate fluctuations,” “Misalignment between production and export strategies,” and “Limited capacity and ability (financial and operational) of exporters.”
Discussion and conclusions
The study identified 27 significant factors influencing the development of shrimp exports to China, with marketing being the most impactful area, followed by banking, laws and regulations, transportation, production, and veterinary regulations. The top ten barriers included issues like limited access to international banking services, weak branding, low competitiveness of Iranian exporters, exchange rate fluctuations, misalignment between production and export strategies, and insufficient banking support. Previous studies, such as Heidarian (2011), also highlighted that increased production facilities and government support boost exports. However, access to financial resources did not significantly affect shrimp exports. Similarly, Ali Akbarzadeh Bidgoli (2018) found that domestic shrimp production, global shrimp prices, and farm area ratios significantly affected exports, while exchange rates did not. Norouzi (2019) emphasized the importance of factors like improved packaging, reducing exchange rate fluctuations, and expanding preferential tariffs to enhance export performances. The findings suggest that the Iranian government can play a key role by offering clear support to the aquaculture sector, attracting foreign investment, improving international relations, and reforming customs regulations. Additionally, addressing production costs, enhancing marketing knowledge, and establishing an export consortium can further improve export performance. Furthermore, implementing an efficient traceability system would help meet sanitary standards in China and improve overall export processes. The study advocates for a coordinated approach to addressing financial and operational challenges to boost shrimp exports.
Conflict of interest
The authors of this article have fully adhered to publication ethics, including avoiding plagiarism, misconduct, data fabrication, and duplicate submission and publication. There are no commercial interests associated with this work, and the authors have not received any financial compensation for submitting their manuscript.
Acknowledgment
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), the Iran Fisheries Organization, and the Union of Aquatic Production and Trade of Iran for their invaluable cooperation in conducting this research. Their support and collaboration were essential in the successful completion of this study. |
|
| Keywords: Export, China, Shrimp, Iran, Market |
|
|
Full-Text [PDF 674 kb]
(60 Downloads)
|
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
اقتصاد شيلاتي
Received: 2024/12/24 | Accepted: 2025/02/28 | Published: 2025/03/17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Send email to the article author |
|
|
|
| Add your comments about this article |
|
|
|
|
Saeedi H, Moradi Y, Mokhtari Abkenari A. Ranking of factors affecting the development of Iran's shrimp exports to China. isfj 2025; 33 (6) :15-25 URL: http://isfj.ir/article-1-2851-en.html
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
