Largest ever growth in value of Norwegian seafood exports

Norway exported seafood worth NOK 9.6 billion in August. This is an increase of NOK 2.3 billion, or 32 per cent, compared with August last year.

"Norwegian seafood exports have never attained a higher value in the month of August before. A gradual reopening of global markets has obviously had a positive effect. It is very gratifying to see that healthy, tasty and sustainable seafood from Norway is so sought after across the world”, says CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council, Renate Larsen.

A year-on-year growth in value of 32 per cent is the highest ever. Species such as salmon, mackerel, clipfish and king crab have contributed most to this increase.

“August salmon exports are the best ever. This is due to high volumes of production and strong demand as more hotels and restaurants have opened up in many international markets. For mackerel, the strong result is primarily due to a record-breaking start to the fishing season”, says Renate Larsen.

The figures for seafood exports so far this year in general also show a solid development:

• Year to date, seafood exports total NOK 72.9 billion
• This is 7 per cent higher than in the same period last year
• This is NOK 5.44 billion ahead of the same period in 2019, the previous record year

Best ever August for salmon

• 1.13900 tonnes of salmon worth NOK 7 billion were exported in August.
• This is an increase by volume of 21 per cent.
• By value, salmon exports were NOK 1.7 billion, or 33 per cent, ahead of August 2020.
• Poland, Denmark and France were the largest markets for Norwegian salmon in August.

“We have never experienced a stronger August for salmon exports, neither by volume or by value. Increased tourism and a gradual reopening of the restaurant sector are two of the explanations. At the same time, we also see that home consumption is increasing in several markets, which has raised the demand for salmon compared with August last year”, says Paul T. Aandahl, Seafood Analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Poland sees strongest growth

Poland was the largest growth market for salmon in August.

“There is still a high demand for processed products such as smoked salmon and pre-packaged salmon portions for sale in retail in markets such as Germany, France and Italy. This means that sales of salmon as a raw material to the processing industry are increasing”, says Aandahl.

Growth for trout

• 6,400 tonnes of trout worth NOK 404 million were exported in August.
• Export volume fell by 6 per cent.
• Export value increased by NOK 79 million, or 25 per cent, compared with August last year.
• Belarus, the USA and Ukraine were the largest markets for Norwegian trout in August.

Increase for fresh cod

• Norway exported 2,500 tonnes of fresh cod worth NOK 94 million in August.
• Export volume increased by 16 per cent.
• Export value increased by NOK 8 million, or 10 per cent, compared with August last year.
• Denmark, Sweden and Germany were the largest markets for fresh cod from Norway in August.

Exports of fresh fillets of cod to Sweden have increased by 215 tonnes, or 50 per cent, so far this year. In August, exports were 76 per cent ahead of August 2020.

“It is worth noting that 21.5 tonnes, or 28 per cent, of the exports of fresh cod fillets to Sweden in August were from farmed cod”, says Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, Seafood Analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Growth in exports to Germany

Another growing whitefish market is Germany.

“Much of Germany's imports of Norwegian cod have usually gone via Denmark, but in recent months we have seen a sharp growth in direct exports of fresh whole cod to Germany. During the last four months, more than 1,150 tonnes of fresh whole cod have been exported from Norway to Germany. This is an increase of over 1,000 tonnes compared to the same period last year”, says Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, Seafood Analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Stability for frozen cod

• Norway exported 3,500 tonnes of frozen cod worth NOK 142 million in August.
• This represents a reduction in volume of 1 per cent.
• Export value is at the same level as August last year.
• China, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands were the largest markets for frozen cod from Norway in August.

Growth for clipfish

• Norway exported 6,900 tonnes of clipfish worth NOK 359 million in August.
• This is an increase in volume of 52 per cent.
• Export value increased by NOK 141 million, or 64 per cent, compared with August last year.
• Portugal, Brazil and the Dominican Republic were the largest markets for Norwegian clipfish in August.

“In August, the volume of cod clipfish exports to Portugal more than doubled, compared with August last year. So far this year, there has been an increase in export volume of almost 800 tonnes, or 7 per cent. The export volume both in August and so far this year is, however, somewhat lower than in 2019. We are still optimistic about the development in the market for clipfish in Portugal as we head towards Christmas”, says Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, Seafood Analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Largest increase to Brazil

After a weak start to the year, Brazil is now the country with the largest increase in export volume of clipfish so far this year. Volume was more than 1,800 tonnes higher than last year.

“So far this year, the export volume for clipfish of both cod and saithe has increased by more than 20 per cent. In August, we saw a further volume growth to Brazil of 300 tonnes, or 157 per cent, for cod. Also for saithe, exports are going well. Here, export growth was 600 tonnes, or an increase of 202 per cent”, says Brækkan.

An optimistic envoy

In total, Brazil imported almost 1,700 tonnes of clipfish in August, worth NOK 83 million.

“In the last four months, the export volume of clipfish of saithe and cod has been higher than in 2019. This positive development gives optimism and belief that the country is now on the right course”, says Øystein Valanes, the Norwegian Seafood Council's envoy to Brazil.

A decline for saltfish

• Norway exported 890 tonnes of salted fish worth NOK 43 million in August.
• This represents a reduction in volume of 20 per cent.
• Export value fell by NOK 7 million, or 15 per cent, compared with August last year.
• Portugal, Italy and Canada were the largest markets for Norwegian salted fish in August.

A fall in export value for dried fish

• Norway exported 277 tonnes of stockfish worth NOK 41 million in August.
• This is a reduction in volume of 8 per cent.
• Export value fell by NOK 2 million, or 4 per cent, compared with August last year.
• Italy, Nigeria and the USA were the largest markets for Norwegian stockfish in August.

Stockfish exports to Italy continued to grow in August, with a 9 per cent increase in the export volume of cod stockfish. Growth also continues to Nigeria, with a 67 per cent increase in exports of dried heads, and a 20 per cent increase in exports of whole stockfish last month.

“The market for stockfish products to Nigeria has this year been the highest ever, and the demand for Norwegian stockfish in Nigeria is still high”, says Trond Kostveit, the Norwegian Seafood Council's envoy to West and Central Africa.

Herring exports see a decline

• Norway exported 11,300 tonnes of herring worth NOK 143 million in August.
• The volume fell by 2 per cent.
• The value fell by NOK 20 million, or 12 per cent compared with August last year.
• Poland, Spain and Ukraine were the largest markets for Norwegian herring in August.

July and August are low seasons for herring exports, and this is also shown in the export statistics.

“We also had a somewhat weaker North Sea herring season compared to the same period last year, says Jan Eirik Johnsen, Manager for Pelagic Species with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

The market is normalising

So far this year, total herring exports are ahead of the same period last year, with a growth of 2 per cent in value and 4 per cent in volume.

“In the core markets of Poland and Germany, we are now seeing a post-corona normalisation of herring consumption, and this accounts for the marked increase”, says Jan Eirik Johnsen.

An exceptional month for mackerel

• Norway exported 32,800 tonnes of mackerel worth NOK 463 million in August.
• This represents an increase in volume of 506 per cent.
• The value increased by NOK 369 million, or 390 per cent, compared with August last year.
• China, Egypt and the Netherlands were the largest markets for Norwegian mackerel in August.

Exports of mackerel in August set solid records both for value and volume. The previous record month for value was August 2019 and was NOK 158 million. By volume, the previous August record was 15,000 tonnes way back in 2001. This season, however, there has been a significant increase in quotas.

“This year has been a record-breaking start to the season. In the last three weeks, the Norwegian fleet has made an outstanding effort, and 147,000 tonnes of mackerel were landed in August. The previous record was 34,000 tonnes, dating back to 2002”, says Jan Eirik Johnsen, Manager for Pelagic Species with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Growth for king crab exports

• Norway exported 349 tonnes of king crab worth NOK 155 million in August.
• This is an increase in volume of 1 per cent.
• Export value increased by NOK 47 million, or 43 per cent, compared with August last year.
• South Korea, Hong Kong SAR and the USA were the largest markets for Norwegian king crab in August.

Historically, August is a strong month for the export of red king crab, and August this year is no exception.

“Never before has the export value of king crab for a single month been higher than in August this year. This is due to continued high demand and good prices for both live and frozen king crab for our most important markets in Asia and North America”, says Josefine Voraa, Manager for Shellfish with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

A solid increase by value

The Hong Kong SAR is emerging as the largest growth market for live red king crab in August, with an increase of NOK 40 million, or 632 per cent.

"Challenging logistics to the Chinese mainland meant that larger volumes of live king crab were exported directly to the Hong Kong SAR," says Voraa.

Live king crab accounted for 80 per cent of the export volume and value in August. This is a solid increase in value of NOK 43 million, or 53 per cent, compared with August last year.

Snow crab quota is fished

• 33 tonnes of snow crab worth NOK 9 million were exported in August.
• This is a reduction in volume of 73 per cent.
• Export value fell by NOK 11 million, or 54 per cent, compared with August last year.
• South Korea, the USA and Turkey were the largest markets for Norwegian snow crab in August.

The reason for the decline in exports in August is that Norwegian vessels had fished the entire quota by July this year.

“Unlike last year, when there was a positive development in the export of snow crab in the second half of the year, this year has seen good fishing and strong demand in the first half”, says Josefine Voraa, Manager for Shellfish with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

In the first eight months of the year, snow crab was exported for just under NOK 809 million, an increase of 208 per cent compared with the same period last year.

A fall in prawn exports

• 939 tonnes of prawn worth NOK 68 million were exported in August.
• This represents a reduction in volume of 5 per cent.
• Export value fell by NOK 10 million, or 13 per cent, compared with August last year.
• Sweden, the United Kingdom and Finland the largest markets for Norwegian prawn in August.

Following a challenging prawn export to the UK last year as a result of the corona pandemic, the market is now normalising.

“The reopening of the hotel, restaurant and canteen sector has contributed to the UK again being the second largest market for Norwegian prawn in August, the value of shrimp exports to the UK increased by NOK 4.2 million, or 70 per cent, compared with the same month last year”, says Josefine Voraa, Manager for Shellfish with the Norwegian Seafood Council.