Press release -
Norwegian shellfish exports lower in first half of 2017
Norway exported 23 000 tonnes of shellfish worth NOK 766 million in the first six months of 2017. This is a decrease in volume of 22 per cent and a decline in value of 17 per cent versus the same period last year.
Norwegian prawn exports were valued at NOK 303 million in the first six months of the year, down 19 per cent versus the same period last year. Seven hundred six tonnes of king crab were exported at a value of NOK 192 million, a decline of 14 per cent, and snow crab worth NOK 172 million, a decline of 24 per cent from the year before. Sweden was the largest export market for shellfish in the first six months of 2017, followed by South Korea and Japan.
- Over half of this year's snow crab quota has been landed, but more and more of the king crab catch is moving to autumn and the largest part of this year's quota remains to be caught. There is good demand in the markets for the large crabs, and we see for example a price increase on frozen snow crabs of 42 per cent compared with the first six months last year, says Kristin Lien, Analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council.
Promising crab markets in the East
Exports of live king crab have declined 50 per cent in the first six months of 2017 to NOK 62 million. The principal market for this is South Korea, followed by the U.S. For frozen king crab, exports have grown by 32 per cent to NOK 130 million in the first six months of 2017. Here the principal market has also been South Korea.
- South Korea has been the dominant king crab market so far this year, while Japan has been the dominant market for snow crab. Both of these countries have long traditions of eating these crabs and continue to be very good markets for large Norwegian crabs, says Gunvar Lenhard Wie, the Norwegian Seafood Council's representative in Japan and South Korea.
Exports of frozen snow crab declined 23 per cent in the first six months of 2017 to NOK 172 million. The snow crab has primarily been exported to Japan and South Korea.
Sweden largest market for prawns
Sweden was the largest recipient country for prawns from Norway in the first six months of 2017, and exports here had a value of NOK 164 million, which is a decline of 17 per cent compared with the same period last year. Exports to Finland, which is the second largest market, declined by 17 per cent to NOK 47 million.
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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.
