Press release -
A strong month for codfish
Norway exported cod, saithe, haddock and other whitefish products to a value of NOK 835 million in August. An increase of NOK 15 million or 2 per cent compared to August 2014. There has also been a decrease of 22 per cent in export volumes, particularly of frozen whole cod fish.
”August was a strong month for groundfish partly because clipfish and fresh cod account for larger shares of exports in August and our main cod market Portugal has consolidated its position as the largest market for Norwegian clipfish. In addition, there has been a greater focus on living stored cod given both the increased exports and favorable prices achieved in August. Norwegian cod exporters have also benefited from a weaker Norwegian kroner”, says Ove Johansen, Analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Council.
Clipfish record in August
Norway exported clipfish to a value of NOK 309 million in August. An increase of NOK 13.5 million, or 5 per cent, compared with August 2014. This represents an all-time high, in terms of Norwegian kroner, for the month of August. Exports by volume totalled 7,040 tonnes of clipfish. This is a reduction of 1,308 tonnes, or 16 per cent year-on-year. The average price of clipfish rose by 24 per cent in August.
Of this, exports of Atlantic cod clipfish reached NOK 155 million, an increase of NOK 13.5 million compared with August 2014. The average price achieved in August was 33 per cent up on the same month in 2014. The total export value of saithe clipfish was NOK 107 million, a decline of NOK 23 million compared with a year ago. The price of saithe clipfish was 13 per cent higher than in August 2014.
Portugal was the largest single market for clipfish in August, with exports totalling NOK 107 million. An increase of NOK 48 million compared with August 2014.
No growth in salted fish exports
Exports of salted fish, both whole and fillets, increased by NOK 2.1 million to total NOK 23.6 million in August. This is an increase of 10 per cent year-on-year. Exported volume decreased by 2 per cent in August to 658 tonnes. The average price rose by 12 per cent. Spain was the biggest purchaser of Norwegian salted fish in August.
Lower volumes of stockfish exports but at higher prices
Whole stockfish exports were worth NOK 48 million in August. This is an increase of 15 per cent year-on-year. Exports by volume amounted to 374 tonnes, a decrease of 23 per cent compared with August 2014. 214 tonnes of the main product Lofoten Round cod were exported to a value of NOK 33.4 million. This is an increase of NOK 2 million, or 3 per cent, from the same month in 2014. The average price achieved was NOK 155.57 per kilo, 58 per cent higher than in August 2014.
In addition, in August dried heads and backs worth NOK 20 million were exported. This is an increase of NOK 1.1 million, or 6 per cent, from August 2014. Exports are mainly destined for Nigeria, whose total imports for all dried products totalled NOK 33 million in August.
A strong month for fresh cod
The export of fresh cod fish products reached NOK 145 million in August. An increase of NOK 8.2 million, or 6 per cent, from August 2014. By volume, August saw an 11 per cent decline in exports of fresh groundfish products, while the average price increased by 19 per cent from last August.
Exports of fresh cod totalled NOK 48.4 million in August. This represents an increase of NOK 18.9 million year-on-year. The price of fresh cod achieved in August was NOK 31.43 per kilo, a rise of 23 per cent on the August 2014 average price.
Exports of fresh fillets of reached NOK 23.3 million in August. This is a decrease of NOK 1.1 million from August 2014. Exports of cod fillets fell by NOK 3.1 million to an August total of NOK 12.3 million, while exports of fresh haddock fillets increased from NOK 7.3 million to NOK 9 million. The price of cod fillets averaged NOK 92.19 per kilo, an increase of 19 per cent from last August. The price of haddock fillets decreased slightly by 2 per cent to NOK 58.70 per kilo.
Lower volumes of frozen products
The export value of frozen groundfish products in August, totalled NOK 300 million. This is a decrease of NOK 18.2 million year-on-year. The average price increased by 37 per cent, while volumes fell by 31 per cent.
Exports of frozen whole fish reduced by NOK 23 million to a total NOK 252.3 million in August. Exports of frozen whole cod decreased from NOK 116.4 million to NOK 90.7 million. Frozen whole saithe fell from NOK 32.6 million to NOK 8.6 million, whilst and frozen whole haddock was reduced from NOK 58.6 million to NOK 16 million. Frozen whole Greenland halibut increased from NOK 44.2 million to 84.6 million and redfish increased from NOK 14.4 million to NOK 32.8 million in August compared with August 2014.
Exports of frozen fillets increased from NOK 41.8 million to NOK 47.2 million in August. Total volumes were down by 15 per cent, while the average price increased by 33 per cent from the same month in 2014. Block products of cod and haddock were down; by volume, value and price, compared with August 2014.
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The Norwegian Seafood Council works with the Norwegian fisheries and aquaculture industries to develop markets for Norwegian seafood through local market intelligence, market development and reputational risk management. The Seafood Council is headquartered in Tromsø and maintains local representatives in twelve of Norway's most important international markets. The Norwegian seafood industry finances the activities of the Norwegian Seafood Council via a tariff on all Norwegian seafood exports.
The Norwegian Seafood Council is a public company owned by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.
