Norwegian seafood exports will exceed NOK 90 billion in 2016

Entering the last month of 2016, the Norwegian seafood industry year to date exports totalled NOK 83.2 billion. By value this represents an increase of NOK 16 billion compared to the same period last year.

”2016 looks set to be another record year for Norwegian seafood exports. Assuming normal performance in December we see that total exports will pass the NOK 90 billion mark by a wide margin. More and more markets are requesting seafood from Norway and our seafood industry is strengthening its position as a key industry for Norway´s future”, says communications director Geir Håvard Hanssen at the Norwegian Seafood Council.

In November, Norway exported 219,000 tonnes of seafood valued at NOK 9 billion. This is a decrease by volume of 16 per cent, while by value it represents a year-on-year increase of 22 percent compared with November 2015. So far this year Norway has exported 2.3 million tonnes of seafood. This is a decrease of 7 per cent from the same period in 2015.

”Demand for Norwegian seafood is increasing more than the seafood industry is managing to export. So far this year the volume of exports has decreased by 7 per cent”, says Hanssen.

Salmon and trout

The price for salmon and trout has been at a historic high throughout 2016. In November the Norwegian salmon industry exported 94,000 tonnes of salmon worth NOK 6.1 billion. This is a volume increase of 2 per cent, while the value increased by 38 per cent compared with November 2015. This is the first time the value of salmon exports exceeded NOK 6 billion in a single month.

Salmon prices remained high in November with an average price for whole fresh salmon of NOK 61.90 per kg. In November 2015 the price was NOK 44.86 per kg. The price for fresh whole trout was, for the second consecutive month, higher than that for fresh whole salmon. The average export price for fresh whole trout was NOK 65.18 per kg in November.

So far this year Norway has exported 890,000 tonnes of salmon to a value of NOK 55 billion. This is a volume decrease of 5.1 per cent, while the value has increased by 30 per cent compared to the same period last year. The high prices have contributed to lower export volumes to major salmon markets in Europe.

”The value of Norwegian salmon exports rose in November, while there was a decline in volume to major consumer markets such as Spain and Sweden. Meanwhile, exports of salmon have increased to markets with a significant processing industry, such as Poland and Denmark. In addition exports by volume to the US also increased. While the volume of exports fell for processed salmon products, this was balanced by the increased export volumes for fresh whole Norwegian salmon in November”, says salmon analyst Paul Aandahl the Norwegian Seafood Council.

In November the Norwegian trout industry exported 4,208 tonnes of trout worth NOK 295 million. This is a volume decrease of 32 per cent, while the export value increased by 8 per cent compared with November 2015. So far this year Norway has exported 64,100 tonnes of trout worth NOK 3.6 billion. By volume this is an increase of 38 per cent, while by value the increase was NOK 77 per cent higher than the same period in 2015. Japan and Belarus bought the most trout from Norway in November.

Herring and mackerel exports decrease

In November the Norwegian pelagic industry exported 31,000 tonnes of herring worth NOK 454 million. This is a year-on-year volume decrease of 28 per cent, while by value the decrease was 8 per cent compared to November 2015. In the same month 41,000 tonnes of mackerel were exported with a value of NOK 570 million. This is a volume decrease of 29 per cent, while by value mackerel exports down by 7 per cent compared to November 2015.

”The export volume of both herring and mackerel fell in November. The market was strong and prices high, but reduced volumes available for export led to a reduction in export value. So far this year, the export value has increased by 32 per cent for herring and 8 per cent for mackerel compared to the same period in 2015”, says analyst Kristin Lien from the Norwegian Seafood Council.

So far this year Norway has exported 210,000 tonnes of herring to a value of NOK 2.8 billion. The volume has increased by 7 per cent, while the value increased by 32 per cent. Poland and Germany were the largest markets for herring in November. So far this year Norway has exported 292,000 tonnes of mackerel with a value of NOK 3.8 billion. Volumes decreased by 11 per cent, while the value of exports increased by 8 per cent compared to the same period in 2015. In November, South Korea and China were the most important export markets for Norwegian mackerel.

Fresh cod exports increase, frozen cod decreases

”November was a stable month for the fish industry. The overall volume of exports fell by 1 per cent, while the value increased by 3 per cent compared with November 2015. The price for frozen fillets increased the most in November, by some 20 per cent. In volume terms whole fresh cod increased the most, up 36 per cent compared with November 2015”, says groundfish analyst Ingrid Kristine Pettersen with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

In November the Norwegian groundfish industry exported 3,486 tonnes of fresh cod, including fillets to a total value of NOK 124 million. There was also a volume increase of 41 per cent, while by value fresh cod exports increased by 28 per cent compared to November 2015.

So far this year, the Norwegian whitefish industry has exported 60,000 tonnes of fresh cod, valued at NOK 2 billion. Volumes were at the same level as last year, while the value increased by 13 per cent compared with the same period last year.

In November, Norway exported 8,564 tonnes of frozen cod, including cod fillets to a total value of NOK 264 million. There was a decrease in export volumes of 8 per cent, while the value of frozen cod exports dropped by 2 per cent compared with last November.

So far this year Norway exported 76,000 tonnes of frozen cod, including fillets valued at NOK 2.4 billion. This represents a volume increase of 18 per cent, and an increase in export value of 26 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Clipfish and salted fish exports increase

”Export values of clipfish and salted fish increased in November due to the good prices achieved for clipfish and salted fish of cod, while difficult market conditions have led to a decline in both price and volume for clipfish and salted fish of saithe”, says groundfish analyst Ingrid Kristine Pettersen from the Norwegian Seafood Council.

In November the Norwegian clipfish industry expirted 8,352 tonnes of clipfish with an export value of NOK 405 million. This represents a volume increase of 5 per cent, and a value increase of 7 per cent compared with November 2015.

So far this year Norway has exported 74,000 tonnes of clipfish worth NOK 3.4 billion. This is a volume decrease of 7 per cent, and a 6 per cent fall in export value compared with the same period last year.

In November, Norwegian exports of salted fish amounted to 1,659 tonnes with a value of NOK 63 million. This is a volume increase of 31 per cent, and an increase in value of 31 per cent compared with November 2015. So far this year Norway has exported 29,000 tonnes of salted fish with a total export value of NOK 1.2 billion. This is at the same level as last year, while the value has increased by 7 per cent compared with the same period in 2015.