Norwegian seafood exports decreased in volume by 23 per cent and in value by 7 per cent in April compared to the same month last year. However, so far this year sales abroad have remained the same in volume and increased by 8 per cent in value in comparison to the first four months of 2016.
“The decline in seafood exports in April is mainly due to a shift in Easter, which again explains some of the decline in export volumes for our important seafood products such as salmon and clipfish, explained Director of Market Insight Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit with the Norwegian Seafood Council.
In the fourth month of the year, Norway exported 60,000 tonnes of salmon worth NOK 4.9 billion (USD 569 million). During that month, there was a reduction in the species export volume to the European Union to 9,400 tonnes, with Poland, France and the United States being the largest export markets.
So far this year, salmon exports reached 305,000 tonnes with a total value of NOK 21 billion (USD 2,439 million).
“Strong price growth compared with the same period last year has led to a value added of NOK 2.7 billion or 15 per cent for Norwegian salmon exports so far this year. A trend we have seen over time is that exports to the EU are reduced, while exports to overseas markets have increased said Analyst Paul Aandahl with the Norwegian Seafood Council.
As to trout, in April, exports were 2,480 tonnes worth NOK 199 million, figures representing a year-on year fall by 69 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively. Japan, Belarus and the United States were the largest markets during that month.
So far this year, Norway has exported 11,100 tonnes of trout worth NOK 874 million.
Another species exported by Norway was fresh cod, including skrei, whose value increased by 8 per cent and volume grew 6 per cent compared with the fourth month of the year in 2016.
During the skrei season, exports reached 5,000 tonnes worth NOK 181 million, representing the same volume level for the same period a year ago but there was a slight decline in value of 1.8 per cent. Spain, Germany and Sweden were the largest consumer markets for skrei this year. Germany and Sweden were the least price sensitive markets.
There is no doubt that the quality mark skrei has been a success in Spain, and that quality has been very good this year. The skrei season is something that Spaniards anticipate and look forward to. Since much of the fish passes through transit countries like Denmark, the export figures alone do not tell us if there has been an increase in skrei sales to Spain. However, our local sources have suggested that there has been an increase in skrei in the Spanish market this season, said Hildegunn Fure Osmundsvåg, with the Norwegian Seafood Council in Spain.
In April, there was a decline in frozen cod exports by 19 per cent in volume and by 23 per cent in value.
In the case of exported clipfish, in April, there was a decrease in volume by 11 per cent and in value by 20 per cent compared to the same month last year. So far this year, export volumes have increased by 13 per cent while there was a growth in value by 5 per cent year on year.
Salted fish sales abroad fell in volume by 26 per cent and in value by 18 per cent compared to April last year. Portugal, Spain and Italy were the main export markets.
During the analysed month, herring exports increased in volume by 16 per cent but declined in value by 15 per cent from April a year ago. Egypt, Belarus and Lithuania were the most important markets.
As to mackerel, the exported volume was reduced by 19 per cent and in value by 14 per cent compared with April in 2016. China, Vietnam and Belarus were the largest recipients.
So far this year, there was a growth in exported herring and mackerel by 9 per cent from the same period last year.
king crab exports decreased in volume by 24 per cent while the export value of the species remained at the same level as April last year.
Norway exported 646 tonnes of prawn worth NOK 44 million in April, representing a drop in volume by 12 per cent and a decline in value by 30 per cent year-on-year.
(NOK 1 = USD 0.11616)
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