Norwegian Salmon Exports Continue To Grow

In the same period, the volume of exports showed a slight decline of 540 tonnes or one per cent.

This strong growth in value is due to the reduced availability of salmon globally combined with an increase in demand,” points out market analyst Paul Aandahl from the Norwegian Seafood Export Council.

Strong growth in Norwegian Salmon prices
In April, the average export price of fresh whole Norwegian Salmon was NOK 38.88 per kg. This is the highest average price ever recorded for a single month since June 2006, when it reached NOK 41.54 per kg. Compared to April last year, this is an increase in price of NOK 6.90 and compared to the previous month the price increase is NOK 2.83 per kg.

Decline in exports of fresh Norwegian Salmon to Asia
For the first time since February 2009, exports of fresh Norwegian Salmon to Asia showed a decline, down by eight per cent. A major cause of this was the volcanic eruption in Iceland, which severely disrupted air transport throughout Europe during weeks 15 and 16. The uncertainty caused by the volcanic eruption and the consequent need to divert supplies of fresh Norwegian Salmon to closer-to-home markets elsewhere in Europe resulted in general price falls across the European salmon markets.

Russia showing biggest growth
Growth in the value of exports of Norwegian Salmon to Russia were up by no less than 52 per cent or NOK 79 million compared to the same month last year. This growth is attributable almost entirely to the fresh whole Norwegian Salmon segment, which saw an increase in the volume of exports to Russia of 50 per cent to a total of 5,701 tonnes, while exports of frozen whole Norwegian Salmon fell by 81 per cent to 201 tonnes. Other leading markets which showed strong growth in the value of exports included Germany (46 per cent), Poland (42 per cent) and the USA (33 per cent).

Exports of fillets also showing growth
The volume of exports of fresh Norwegian Salmon fillets grew by 21 per cent in April. The same relatively high growth rate was also seen in the frozen Norwegian Salmon segment. The USA is the most important market for Norwegian Salmon fillets, with exports amounting to a total of 2,381 tonnes of fresh and frozen fillets in April. Exports of fresh Norwegian Salmon products, which normally go by air to the USA, fell in weeks 15 and 16 due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland and the subsequent closure of airspace across Europe. The USA imported some 30 per cent of all Norwegian Salmon fillet exports in April. The strongest growth in Norwegian Salmon fillet exports in April was to Poland, up by an impressive 94 per cent.

Steep fall in exports of Norwegian Fjord Trout
Exports of Norwegian Fjord Trout in April totalled NOK 110 million, down by 34 per cent compared to the same month last year. The volume of exports was down by 53 per cent. The most important export market for Norwegian Fjord Trout is Russia, followed by China, Thailand and Belarus. Exports of Norwegian Fjord Trout to Japan, previously our most important market, totalled only 66 tonnes in April 2010 compared to 872 tonnes in April 2009.

Frozen whole Norwegian Fjord Trout has shown the steepest decline per product segment, falling by 75 per cent in April, while the downturn in exports of fresh Norwegian Fjord Trout was 40 per cent. As a result of the gradual market trend in recent years towards fresh Norwegian Fjord Trout products, the volume of exports of fresh whole Norwegian Fjord Trout now totals 78 per cent of all Norwegian Fjord Trout exports.