Last year's seafood exports are 13 per cent higher than the previous record, which was in 2010 at 53.8 billion.
"The main explanation for the export record is high demand for Norwegian salmon on the world market, which has resulted in strong prices in 2013," said CEO Terje E. Martinussen, Norwegian Seafood Council.
The average price for fresh whole salmon from Norway was NOK 39.74 per kilo. This is 44 per cent more than the year before. Norway exported salmon and trout for NOK 42.2 billion in 2013.
"Another key feature of the record year of 2013 is that Norway has never exported more cod. In particular, exports of fresh and frozen whole cod increased. Norway has never sold more fresh cod or had more revenue from these exports than we had last year," said Martinussen.
By year end, Norway exported 56 per cent more fresh cod than in 2012. The value of these exports were also 19 per cent higher.
"The quota has famously been great, so this part of the seafood industry has made strong price cuts to get to this position. Nevertheless, we have seen that fresh cod is becoming more popular. These include the markets such as Sweden and the UK. If the industry is careful to preserve the quality and to a greater extent customize deliveries to the market, I think it is possible to take out even larger values ??of the fresh cod in coming years," said Martinussen.
Norway's exports of cod, saithe and haddock were ten billion in 2013. Thus, the value of groundfish exports at the level of the previous year, while it increased by 11 per cent.
Russia the most important market
Norway is now exporting seafood to about 140 different countries worldwide. Of these, Russia is the main market. Together, Norway exported seafood of 6.6 billion to Russia in 2013. The increase from the previous year is ten per cent. It also makes Russia the fourth largest growth market for Norwegian seafood in 2013.
France is the second largest market for Norwegian seafood, with exports of 5.9 billion. This is 20 per cent more than the year before. Thus France is also the second largest growth market, second only to Poland.
The EU is the Norwegian seafood industry's main market area. In 2013, 59 per cent of total seafood exports went to the EU.
Lower exports of pelagic fish
When it comes to seafood, Norway exports of pelagic fish for 2013 were 6.5 billion. The decrease of 18 per cent from last year is mainly due to lower quotas and lower prices for herring. Mackerel exports were 2.9 billion, a decrease of four per cent.
Exports of shrimp and shellfish totaled 475 million, a decrease of 42 per cent compared to 2012.
