Korean Job Discussion Forums

[riverboy]

Folks, I friend of mine is a lobster fisherman. I was talking to him the other day about shipping some live lobster over here. The stuff is damn expensive and if you pre order it, I can get it to you for at least half the price you would pay in a restaurant over here.

Any interest?

[lifeinkorea]

Interested, but in a different way. I went to Yeongdeok with a student and we ate crab meat in a group. I don't know if I would be interested in just getting a delivery and having to cook/steam it all. However, if someone cooked and prepared it, then I wouldn't mind stopping by and buying some if it were at a lower price than at a restaurant.

I suggest selling it cooked outside a main station in Seoul, like a transfer station, and then people could buy some. Others might prefer an area like Itaewon, but that's too crowded for me.

[Jeff's Cigarettes]

My family has a summer home on an Island in Maine. When I used to go for summers I got my fishing license and we ate fresh lobster morning noon and night for free.

[ChinaBoy]

I like how it's illegal to get something from the sea without licenses. Obviously people should be allowed to starve to death.

[skindleshanks]

I have no doubt you could get it cheaper than what you pay at a restaurant--I've gotten a lot of hard-to-find things at a reasonable price by going directly to the restaurant suppliers/importers.

What's the import duty on lobsters, anyway?

[wuzza]

[pkang0202]

[ChinaBoy]

And be jailed or deported.

[pkang0202]

[riverboy]

[/quote]My family has a summer home on an Island in Maine. When I used to go for summers I got my fishing license and we ate fresh lobster morning noon and night for free.

[Bibbitybop]

[blackjack]

[pavement burns]

I like the idea of expats peddling lobsters out of the backs of bongos with a loudspeaker at 6:30 in the morning outside my door. "I'll take two selects, please."

However you are forgetting several important features of import export regulations. Remember I said I liked the idea.

1. You would need an export permit from a local approved exporter in the country of origin. I doubt your friendly fisherman has one yet.

2.Even if he does, whatever export agencies in his region which handle lobsters on larger volumes as in 15,000 to 20,000 a load (which usually go to national wholesalers before they get to the restaurant) have a tendancy to dominate and or take priority on available cargo space. Especially in queue for a couple of over-booked flights. This is why co-ops are a fisherman friendly alternative.

3. Small shippers often end up going home with a missed load and losing three months profits in the process and a buch of droopy or seconds lobsters. Those are actually any you can buy from any outlet in the US of Canada other than straight off the boat. They haven't passed export grade. 1000 kgs is about an LD2 or LD3 or a quarter sized air cargo or so.

4. Then on import you would need a certified import permit handler on arrival as well as customs, tariffs and duties which will increase the actual cost if you haven't calculated it in advance. Your declarations of description of use (resale) would require a commercial license or permit.

5. Then the local shipping and handling to get to final destination would add up.

6. Any delays and you will have an LD2 full of smelly dead lobsters that no one in their right mind will want to eat or pay for. This is the problem I have with roadside cooked crabs. I want to know how long it was dead. The only way to know that is to cook it yourself.

7. Which is why you would need to take out insurance on the delivery as well which adds additional cost with any possible external claims on damages or delays requiring full audit and inspection.

8. Collecting insurance or liability claims could take months with dozens of angry expats demanding refund prior to your possible unredeemed claim.

9. For costs on audits, and insurance claims you could be looking at a few/many thousands of dollars just for a single case inspection.

10. The easiest cheapest way to get those lobsters is to bring a 15 kg carton home to Korea with you (or two or three add as extra luggage).

15 kg cartons are standard sized and designed to fit under a plane seat and issued an export permit exemption similar to those available for Dutch tulip bulbs.

[Demophobe]

[jkelly80]