Regarded as the world's most adored mollusc, oysters continue to capture hearts and minds -and big business. Ewan Cook reports on a delicacy that is more in demand than ever. The Romans laid artificial oyster beds as long ago as 95BC, back when no orgy was complete without huge platters of the highly-prized shellfish. Times may have changed, but our worldwide love affair continues: today, global production stands at over 4.5 million tonnes per year - worth 2.8 billion dollar. And yet, despite a worldmarket that has grown phenomenally in the last 20 years, appearances can be deceptive. Of the enormous global oyster supply, only around 50,000 tonnes enter international markets annually. This tiny proportion has much to do with stringent sanitation transportation: importing is very difficult, so most oysters are still traded and consumed domestically -though this might be about to change.
展开▼
