Norwegian cod in different presentations.

Norwegian cod exports grow thanks to better prices

NORWAY
Thursday, December 06, 2018, 01:10 (GMT + 9)

Norwegian fresh cod exports, including fillet, increased in volume by 3 per cent in November, when 2,600 tonnes of the resource were sold abroad and grew by 1 per cent in value, reaching NOK 109 million (USD 12.8 million). 

Denmark and Sweden were the largest markets for fresh cod in November, according to statistics from the Norwegian Seafood Council. 

From January to November, Norway exported 61,500 tonnes of the resource for NOK 2.2 billion, representing a volume decline of 5 per cent and a value increase of 2 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Norway exported 6,600 tonnes of frozen cod, including fillet, worth NOK 279 million in November, which shows a decline in volume by 8 per cent but a growth in value by 16 per cent from the same month last year. China and the UK were the largest markets.

During the first eleven months of the year, sales of the resource abroad dropped in volume by 15 per cent but the export value remains at the same level as last year.

"Both fresh and frozen whole cod have seen price growth so far this year. In addition, we see in recent months that prices for fresh and frozen cod are starting to improve, and they begin to approach the levels of last year. This is gratifying after a couple of years of falling prices," explained seafood analyst Ingrid Kristine Pettersen.

For his part, Bjørn-Erik Stabell, fisheries delegate for the Spanish market, pointed out that this autumn fresh sei cod was launched in Spain, and a good response is reported from this export market, but lower catches made it difficult to meet demand.

He also stressed that improvement in the traditional codfish markets, combined with the ability to build a new market for sei, such as freshly prepared sei in Spain, may well contribute to further price growth for sei. 

In November Norway also exported whole clipfish, which increased in volume by 6 per cent and in value increase by 12 per cent.

From January to November, sales of the resource abroad increased by 3 per cent in volume and by 5 per cent in value compared with the same period last year.

"Now we are entering the main season for clipfish in Portugal - Christmas. There has been a spectacular rise in prices for codfish exports this year. However, price growth has not been fully exposed to consumers. On average, export prices have increased by 9 per cent in euro to EUR 7.58 per kg, while according to our panel data, prices to consumers in Portugal remain at the same level as last year and are selling on average at EUR 8 per kg,” Pettersen stated.

Norway exported 1,300 tonnes of salted fish (clipfish) for a value of NOK 61 million in November, representing a 17 per cent volume decline and a 15 per cent drop in value. Italy and Portugal were the largest salted fish markets. 

Sales of the resource to other countries during the first eleven months of the year grew by 5 per cent in volume and by 15 per cent in value from the same period last year.

Herring exports declined by 26 per cent in volume in November and by 9 per cent in value compared with the same month in 2017. Poland and Ukraine were the largest markets.

These exports grew by 3 per cent during the period from January to November but declined by 5 per cent in value from the same period last year.

In the case of king crab, in November exports increased by 43 per cent and by 45 per cent in value. South Korea and France are the largest recipients.

Chef Markus Dybwad holding a king crab at the Norwegian Seafood Delight in Malaysia.(Photo: Esther Chandran)

During the first eleven months of the year, sales of the resource abroad grew by 12 per cent in volume and by 19 per cent in value.

“There have been good snow crab catches after the conservation period and with significantly higher prices and good demand for Norwegian snow crabs due to reduced catches in Canada," explained Josefine Voraa, Advisor with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Prawn exports in November increased by 13 per cent in volume and by 24 per cent in value. Sweden and the UK were the main prawn markets.

Sales of the resource increased in volume and in value during the period from January to November, by 20 per cent and by 22 per cent, respectively.
 

(NOK 1 = USD 0.11768)

editorial@seafood.media
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