Hugo Sun, China account manager for Indian Ocean Rock Lobster, another Australian producer, said on Monday he expected the ban on lobster to be lifted soon as trading relations normalised. However, there had been no confirmation from the Chinese authorities so far about when this could happen.

“It could be resumed before May 2023, but this is not confirmed by the Chinese authorities yet,” Mr Sun told the Financial Review.

The first public comments by major Chinese seafood importers on the issue since the ban was introduced in late 2020 was further confirmation of the industry’s confidence that Australian lobster would be welcomed back into China.

However, it is unlikely that will happen before the Lunar New Year holidays which start next week. Before the pandemic, this was the most lucrative period for the Australian lobster trade.

Long Dingbin, China’s top diplomat at China’s consulate in Perth, visited the Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative in Western Australia last week, in the latest sign that Beijing is preparing to lift the ban on Australian seafood.

The co-operative’s chief executive, Matt Rutter, who attended the meeting, declined to comment on Monday. However, an industry source said the fact that the Chinese consulate was promoting the meeting on its social media page meant that Beijing must be close to lifting the ban.

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Mr Chen, who has been importing seafood for 20 years, operates his business out of the Xiashang International Seafood Centre, a sprawling seafood market in the southern Chinese trading hub of Xiamen. Xiamen, a wealthy free trade zone, used to be home to 60 per cent of China’s imported lobster trade.

Australia exported $US658 million ($942 million) worth of seafood to China in the 2018 financial year. While it was not the country’s most valuable export to China, the demand for rock lobsters had been rising sharply year-on-year and employed hundreds in Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.

Australian exporters were hit hard in 2020 when China unofficially instructed traders and Customs officials to stop accepting lobsters. There were reports of shipments left to go off on airport tarmacs because they were held up for days by inspections and red tape.

Lobster was among major Australian exports slapped with restrictions or steep tariffs by the Chinese authorities in 2020 as relations between the two countries soured. There are also hopes that China will resume imports of coal, beef and other products affected by the sanctions.

Trade between China and Australia fell 3.9 per cent in 2022 to US$221 billion ($316 billion), China Customs data released Friday showed. Australian exports to China fell 13 per cent to $US142 billion ($203 billion), state media reported.

“However, the situation may change in 2023 as domestic companies are restoring their attention and enthusiasm for Australia amid the improved outlook for bilateral ties under the new Australian government,” Chinese state-owned tabloid, the Global Times, said.

Miners said last week they were confident China was close to lifting a two-year ban on Australian coal after four major importers – including power generators and one steel mill – were cleared to restart trade.