Mackerel on display at a hypermarket in Seoul [Yonhap]
Mackerel on display at a hypermarket in Seoul [Yonhap]

The government inspected the distribution of imported mackerel subject to quota tariffs, aiming to ease the consumer burden as prices for the fish have risen.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance's Livelihood Stabilization Support Unit visited the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives logistics center at Busan's Gamcheon Port on Wednesday to inspect the storage, processing and distribution of imported frozen mackerel under a quota tariff that reduced the rate from 10 percent to zero. Officials also held a meeting with importers and distributors.

The inspection was a follow-up to mackerel supply stabilization measures discussed at a Friday meeting of the special ministerial TF on livelihood prices.

The government has applied quota tariffs this year to a total of 25,000 tons of frozen mackerel. As of late July, 53 importers had brought in 9,784 tons. The government requires that tariff-benefiting shipments reach the market within 45 days of the quota tariff taking effect.

The Livelihood Stabilization Support Unit toured radiation inspection equipment, bonded warehouses, cold-storage facilities and processing facilities, checking safety inspection systems and the current state of storage, processing and distribution for imported mackerel. At the subsequent meeting, officials heard about difficulties faced by importers and distributors and discussed ways to cut distribution costs and accelerate market supply.

Importers said the global supply situation had worsened significantly after Norway cut its mackerel catch quota from 215,000 tons in 2024 to 81,000 tons this year, pushing up import costs. However, they said the government's quota tariff measure had helped ease some of the upward pressure on consumer prices.

Distributors agreed to pursue greater efficiency in their supply chains and expand discount promotions to help pass the tariff reduction on to end consumers.

Jang Do-hwan, head of the Livelihood Stabilization Support Unit, said the purpose of the quota tariff is to ensure that the benefits of lower duties are passed swiftly through the distribution chain to end consumers. "We will do our best to quickly resolve the difficulties the industry faces on the ground so that the public can feel the effects of price stabilization," he said.


fact0514@heraldcorp.com