Best half year ever for Norwegian seafood export

The export value of Norwegian seafood recorded in the first half of 2015 is the highest ever. Norway exported seafood for NOK 34 billion.

The total value of 34 billion corresponds to NOK 1.5 billion, or 5 per cent, more than the same period last year. A new record for the month of June was also recorded. Seafood export in June came to NOK 5.8 billion. This is an increase of NOK 932 million or 20 per cent, compared to the same month last year.

"It is great to see that many parts of the seafood industry have contributed to these figures. Cod, for example, has seen a steady growth throughout the period. This has great significance for both local and national value creation, as Norway now exports more processed and less whole cod", says Geir Bakkevoll, Communications Director at the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Increase of exported salmon

Norway exported salmon worth a total of NOK 21.9 billion in the first half of 2015. This represents an increase of 3 per cent, or NOK 537 million, compared to the same period in 2014. The month of June alone saw a total export value of NOK 3.8 billion, which is an increase of NOK 488 million or 15 per cent. The average price for whole fresh Norwegian salmon was NOK 41.00 per kg in June, compared to NOK 36.27 in the same month last year. Poland, France and the UK were the biggest importers of Norwegian salmon, just as the previous month.

Decline in export of trout

Trout export fell by NOK 272 million or 22 per cent in the first half of 2015. The total export value was NOK 969 million. In June, the total export was NOK 205 million, an increase of NOK 26 million or 14 per cent. The main buyers of Norwegian trout are Belarus and Poland.

Increase of clipfish and saltfish

The export of clipfish was a total of NOK 1.9 billion in the first half of 2015, which is an increase of NOK 424 million or 29 per cent. In June, the total export value was NOK 363 million, an increase of NOK 137 million or 61 per cent. In the first half of the year, the export value was divided between cod (NOK 1.1 billion), saithe (NOK 662 million), ling (NOK 58 million), tusk (NOK 56 million) and other white fish (NOK 13 million).

Norway's saltfish export increased by NOK 163 million or 24 per cent in the first half of the year, to a total export value of NOK 850 million. Out of this sum, NOK 794 million came from cod.

Increase of fresh cod

Norway's cod export, including cod fillets, increased by NOK 240 million or 22 per cent in the first half of the year, to a total export value of NOK 1.4 billion. For frozen cod, including fillets, there was a decrease of NOK 134 million or 13 per cent, which corresponds to a total export value of NOK 924 million. In terms of value, 74 per cent of the frozen cod is sold to the EU.