Giving China a taste of Maine
Independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler invites potential importers to see the state's lobster industry up close and personal.
By Ann S. Kim akim@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
PORTLAND - With the lobster boat stopped near Fort Gorges, the delegation donned long rubber aprons and gloves, and got a warning from Tom Martin to keep their hands away from the winch.
Ning Gaoning, right, pulls a bait bag from a lobster trap Friday aboard the Lucky Catch in Portland Harbor. With Ning are, from left, Fang Fenglei, Eliot Cutler and Guy Cui. Cutler, an independent candidate for governor, says he wants the Chinese business leaders “to understand Maine lobster is better than Australia and New Zealand lobster” and that “we produce enough to export to China.”
Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer
Jeffrey Holden, president of Portland Shellfish Co., holds up a lobster for Ning Gaoning, left, and other Chinese business leaders to see during their visit to Portland on Friday. Ning is the chairman of COFCO, a Chinese conglomerate that includes the country’s largest food importer.
Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer
Additional Photos Below
The Chinese business leaders gathered around as Martin, the owner of Lucky Catch Cruises, hauled up the traps. He explained the mechanism of the traps and that females with eggs must be thrown back, and showed the delegation how to measure a lobster.
The one he held met the size standard -- at least 3¼ inches from the back of the eyes to the edge of the main body -- and could go into the tank.
"Big enough!" Martin said, to cheers from the group.
Friday's outing was part of a crash course on Maine's lobster industry for representatives of COFCO -- a conglomerate that includes China's largest food importer -- and Hopu Investment Management.
The group was in Maine at the invitation of Eliot Cutler of Cape Elizabeth, an independent candidate for governor.
"I want them to understand Maine lobster is better than Australia and New Zealand lobster, that we produce enough to export to China, and that it is a sustainable fishery -- which is very important to China -- and that they and we can make a lot of money with trade going that way," Cutler said.
The delegation included Ning Gaoning, chairman of COFCO; Paul Liu, president of Ceroilfood, a subsidiary of COFCO; and Fang Fenglei, Hopu's chairman.
Cutler lived in China for 2½ years, moving there to open an office for his law firm. He got to know Fang then, and in recent months he met Ning through Fang.
Friday's schedule included a visit to Portland Shellfish Co., where the visitors tasted products and saw workers butcher live lobsters, pack tails for flash-freezing and pick cooked meat by hand. They then had a lobster roll lunch at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute with representatives of the industry.
The day's activities combined business and fun, said Liu, who is based in New York. He said that while there certainly is a market for lobster in China, more study is needed -- on issues including marketing, the catch and processing -- before the businesses decide whether to pursue opportunities in Maine.
"We'll do our homework, keep contact with people here and see what happens from there," he said.
The group learned that Maine's lobster catch is 75 million pounds a year, and that an estimated 35 million pounds could be available for export to China. That amount, which could be worth about $200 million a year, would be enough to consider pursuing, said Guy Cui, one of the partners in Hopu.
"Two hundred million dollars is something worth exporting. Twenty million is too small," he said.
Ning, who goes by "Frank," said he would first want to build the Maine brand in China, where lobster is now associated with Australia or Boston. He would work with frozen products before considering importing live lobster, which poses more logistical challenges.
Dane Somers, executive director of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council, said working with COFCO would be an enormous opportunity. He said it would broaden the market and help firm up prices for exports.
"That's a nice way of saying 'Whoever pays the most gets the lobster,' " he said.
In November's election, Cutler will face Democrat Libby Mitchell, Republican Paul LePage and two other independents, Shawn Moody and Kevin Scott.
Arden Manning, the state Democrats' campaign coordinator, said it wasn't surprising that Cutler arranged to bring the delegation to Maine, given that he lived in China.
"It's hard to say you know what Mainers are going through if you live in China and, really, have lived in Washington before that. That might be a concern for Maine voters," he said.
Staff Writer Ann S. Kim can be contacted at 791-6383 or at:
akim@pressherald.com
Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form
Additional Photos
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 click image to enlarge
Eliot Cutler, left, laughs as Fang Fenglei holds a lobster Friday aboard the boat Lucky Catch in Portland Harbor. At right is Theresa Gao of COFCO, a Chinese conglomerate and food importer. Members of the group toured Portland Shellfish Co. and had lobster rolls at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute at the invitation of Cutler, an independent gubernatorial candidate. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer |
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21 COMMENTS
UofA said...
How many Chinese workers will immigrate to work the processing plant. Nice move Cutler. NOT!
June 19, 2010 at 6:02 AM Report abuse
MECommenter said...
I'll give Cutler credit on this one. The setting portrayed the candidate as helping a traditional and iconic Maine industry. The D spokesman came across as partisan and small. This is one event that both parties should have declared "no comment." Well done, Mr Cutler.
June 19, 2010 at 6:37 AM Report abuse
_Christopher said...
It's amazing that the Chinese associate lobster with Boston. Definitely seems like an opportunity there. Nice work.
June 19, 2010 at 8:04 AM Report abuse
lovinit said...
Maybe LePig will offer up some more pork. The do-nothing republican party needs to get it's head out of its a$$.
June 19, 2010 at 8:06 AM Report abuse
Maine_Huntah said...
Arden Manning's comment was so lame - seriously. Nice job, Cutler.
June 19, 2010 at 8:18 AM Report abuse
lovinit said...
LePig can offer up some republican pork.
June 19, 2010 at 8:33 AM Report abuse
Dee said...
Arden Manning is trying to make Cutler appear from away. He grew up in Maine which Libby Mitchell did not. Residency in this world of today is rather silly. We need a Governor who has worldly experience. And, who is honest, intelligent and willing to work on behalf of all Maine citizens -- Democratic, Republican and Independent.
June 19, 2010 at 8:33 AM Report abuse
Sam said...
What kind of anti business, anti Maine fool opposes finding more customers for Maine goods?
June 19, 2010 at 9:21 AM Report abuse
UofA said...
lovinit- Be careful or you will face Civil Rights violations from our latest residents. Pork will soon be forbidden in Maine.
June 19, 2010 at 9:23 AM Report abuse
lovinit said...
Yes, LePig will be gone soon.
June 19, 2010 at 11:11 AM Report abuse
MSH said...
This is news??????
June 19, 2010 at 11:26 AM Report abuse
SG9uZXN0YWJl said...
This looks like a great opportunity for Maine. And I agree -- it can only be good for Maine if we have bigger customers for our products. Great job, Cutler!
June 19, 2010 at 11:34 AM Report abuse
null said...
Thank you for marketing Maine products, Mr. Cutler.. you truly care about Maine.
June 19, 2010 at 4:10 PM Report abuse
cGV0ZWU%3D said...
This quote is the key - "which is very important to China -- and that they and we can make a lot of money with trade going that way," Cutler said. Just seems like a typical money grab form a guy from away... he lived Bangor until when - 18?
June 19, 2010 at 7:23 PM Report abuse
GURRY70 said...
And to think of all of the money lobster licenses have pumped into the Maine Lobster Promotion Council...for coffee cups & aprons with lobsters on them, recipes and chef contests. Thanks Mr. Cutler...good job!
June 19, 2010 at 9:32 PM Report abuse
Haiku said...
If Eliot Cutler becomes guv because of marketing stunts like the attached news feature, then will he be the kind of pol who welcomes China to eat American fabric of society? Partisanship aside, internationalists of both parties also run as independents. Is Cutler one of those? GW Bush put the U.S. into debt to China. Bush, Republican. So, let's be specific as voters with our concerns about independent candidates too, because we need for the next Maine governor someone we can trust, someone who's known. We don't need bad surprises.
June 19, 2010 at 10:28 PM Report abuse
jack33 said...
Oh, good, let's find another reason to burn even more fossil fuel by shipping even more luxury (read: not essential) consumer stuff around the world.
June 19, 2010 at 10:50 PM Report abuse
cGV0ZWU%3D said...
are there any other Independents in the race?
June 19, 2010 at 11:07 PM Report abuse
SoPoDad said...
Arden Manning did come across as a really small person with that quote. Way to make the dems seem even more out of touch, Arden
June 19, 2010 at 11:49 PM Report abuse
MainelyJack said...
Give Cutler credit for a nice campaign stunt, however it is hard to believe that China is unaware of Maine lobster and that this was an eye-opening event for them. Learn to expect small minded comments from Libby Mitchell's people. That would incluse poster boy lovinit, who is not only small minded, but anti-Franco. That the PPH permits him to keep using his epithet only confirms what others have said about O'Conner supporting Cutler. He clearly violates PPH posting policies.
June 20, 2010 at 8:32 AM Report abuse
SG9uZXN0YWJl said...
Great move by Cutler. More exports = more jobs. That's what Maine needs. Jobs and Cutler.
June 22, 2010 at 4:03 PM Report abuse