Photo: Norwegian Seafood Council/FIS

Norwegian fish exports in July: a mixed picture with notable growth in frozen cod

NORWAY
Friday, August 08, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

Fresh and salted cod also see growth in value and volume, while clipfish and stockfish experience historical declines due to quota shortages and high raw material prices.

Value increase for fresh cod

• Norway exported 2,055 tonnes of fresh cod with a value of 144 million Norwegian kroner (NOK), approximately $14.1 million USD, in July.
• The value increased by 8 million NOK, or 6%, approximately $0.78 million USD, compared with the same month last year.
• The volume fell by 12 per cent
• Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland were the largest markets for fresh cod in July

Landings of fresh wild cod continued to fall in July, resulting in lower export volumes.

For fresh wild cod, export volumes fell by 7% to 1,314 tonnes, while export value increased by 19% to 93 million NOK (approximately $9.1 million USD).

Fall in volume for fresh farmed cod

For fresh farmed cod, the export volume fell 20% to 741 tonnes, while the export value fell 11% to 51 million NOK (approximately $5.0 million USD). Farmed cod accounted for 36% of the export value of fresh cod.

“As usual, the largest markets for fresh cod are the transit markets. From Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland, most of the cod is re-exported to our largest fresh markets such as Spain, France and Germany," says seafood analyst Eivind Hestvik Brækkan of the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Growth for frozen cod

• Norway exported 2,575 tonnes of frozen cod worth 194 million NOK (approximately $19.0 million USD) in July.
• The value increased by 48 million NOK, or 33%, approximately $4.7 million USD, compared with the same month last year.
• This is a growth in volume of 17 per cent
• The UK, China and Vietnam were the largest markets for frozen cod in July

July is the first month this year with an increase in the export volume of frozen cod.

“Since landings of frozen cod continued to fall in July, stock adjustments are probably the main reason for the growth," says seafood analyst Eivind Hestvik Brækkan of the Norwegian Seafood Council.

UK is largest single market

The UK continues to be our largest single market for frozen cod, with an export volume of 661 tonnes and an export value of 41 million NOK (approximately $4.0 million USD).

This is a decrease in volume of 19 per cent from July last year. Growth to Vietnam also continued in July, with export volumes tripling to 409 tonnes.

Heavy month for clipfish

• Norway exported 3,249 tonnes of clipfish worth 257 million NOK (approximately $25.2 million USD) in July.
• The value fell by 124 million NOK, or 33%, approximately $12.2 million USD, compared with the same month last year.
• Volume fell by 40 per cent
• Brazil, Portugal and the Dominican Republic were the largest markets for clipfish in July

For saithe clipfish, export volumes fell by 36% to 2,135 tonnes, while export value fell by 4% to 128 million NOK (approximately $12.5 million USD).

For clipfish from cod, the export volume fell 69% to 527 tonnes, while the export value fell 59% to 91 million NOK (approximately $8.9 million USD).

"We have to go all the way back to March 1989 to find a lower export volume for cod clipfish in a single month," says seafood analyst Eivind Hestvik Brækkan of the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Salted cod by Food Products Distributor TIO ALI Ltda - Brazil 

Demanding for the industry

So far this year, 9,550 tonnes of cod clipfish have been exported. This is also the lowest export volume since 1989.

"This illustrates the challenges facing the industry, with ever-lower cod quotas and high raw material prices," says Brækkan.

Largest increase in value to Brazil

Brazil saw the greatest growth in value in July, with an increase in export value of 23 million NOK, or 68%, approximately $2.3 million USD, compared with the same month last year.

Saithe Makayabu 9 kg box – Northern Fish Cod

The export volume to Brazil ended at 872 tonnes, which is 79 per cent higher than the same month last year.

“The volume growth is due to increased exports of saithe clipfish. With an increase in volume of 86 per cent, as much as 73 per cent of the export volume to Brazil was saithe clipfish in July," explains Eivind Hestvik Brækkan.

Exports of cod clipfish almost halved to just 56 tonnes, and accounted for only 6 per cent of the volume to Brazil.

First month of the year with volume growth for salted fish

• Norway exported 1,519 tonnes of salted fish with a value of 164 million NOK (approximately $16.1 million USD) in July.
• The value increased by 91 million NOK, or 124%, approximately $8.9 million USD, compared with the same month last year.
• This is a growth in volume of 70 per cent
• Portugal, France and Italy were the largest markets for salted fish in July

Box of Special Norwegian Cod Whole 25kg - Dry - Loja Pascoal

July is the first month this year with an increase in the export volume of salted fish.

Low quotas and demanding access to raw materials

“However, this is a month of low volumes, and so far this year the export volume of salted fish has fallen by 10 per cent. With continued low quotas and demanding access to raw materials, there is hardly reason to expect large volumes of salted fish during the autumn," says Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, Seafood Analyst of the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Portugal saw the greatest growth in value in July, with an increase in export value of 87 million NOK, or 141%, approximately $8.5 million USD, compared with the same month last year.

The export volume to Portugal ended at 1,095 tonnes, which is 61 per cent higher than in the same month last year.

Decrease in volume and value for stockfish

• Norway exported 98 tonnes of stockfish worth 20 million NOK (approximately $2.0 million USD) in July.
• The value fell by 6 million NOK, or 24%, approximately $0.59 million USD, compared with the same month last year.
• Volume fell by 50 per cent
• Italy, Nigeria and the USA were the largest markets for stockfish in July

Italy had the highest value growth in July, with an increase in export value of 2 million NOK, or 27%, approximately $0.20 million USD, compared with the same month last year.

The export volume to Italy ended at 28 tonnes, which is 9 per cent lower than in the same month last year.

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