Reduced Cod Exports in February

Norway exported cod, saithe, haddock and other whitefish worth NOK 1 billion in February. This represents a decrease of 9 per cent or NOK 101 million compared with February 2014. Total exports by volume were 31,500 tonnes of whitefish in February. A decline of 33 per cent from February 2014. The largest reduction in February were the bacalhau and saltfish categories. 

“Following a record-breaking January, we expected a reduction in clipfish sales in February. This is directly due to the fact that Easter is coming earlier this year. Meanwhile, smaller fishing volumes led to large price increases for cod”, says Ove Johansen from the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Norway exported clipfish worth NOK 263.6 million in February. This is a decline of 19 per cent or NOK 62.4 million compared to February 2014. In February Norway exported 6,130 tonnes of dried codfish, a decrease of 36 per cent or 3,386 tonnes year-on-year.

Of this, exports of Atlantic cod clipfish accounted for NOK 109 million. A reduction of NOK 45.5 million compared to February 2014. The price of bacalhau in February was 42 per cent higher than a year earliert. The value of clipfish saithe totalled NOK 135.4 million in February. This is a decrease of NOK 9.4 million compared to February 2014. The price of saithe in February was 21 per cent above the price for February 2014.

The largest single market for clipfish was Brazil with exports worth NOK 70 million. A decrease of NOK 89.6 million year-on-year.

Export value of salted fish down, despite price rises

Norway exported salted fish, both whole and filleted, to a value of NOK 96 million in February. This is a decline of 29 per cent or NOK 39.3 million compared to February last year. Exports by volume were 2,587 tonnes of salted fish in February, a decrease of 47 per cent year-on-year. The average price for salted fish in February was 33 per cent higher than in February 2014. Portugal was the biggest market, consuming salted fish worth NOK 41.2 million in February. This is a decrease of 50 per cent year-on-year.

Inflation for stockfish

Exports of stockfish 42 million in February. This is a decline of 17 percent from February last year. The volume of the export 359 tons of stockfish in February. This is a decline of 45 percent from February last year. Of the main product Lofoten round cod were exported 318 tonnes in February, to a value of NOK 38.6 million. That is an increase på13 percent or 4.5 million from February last year. The price was NOK 121.25 per kg in February. That is an increase of 31 percent from February last year.

Higher prices for frozen cod

The export value of all frozen codfish products were down by NOK 7.5 million in February to a total value of NOK 278 million. Whole round frozen cod accounted for the greatest reduction of frozen cod fish products in February, from 8,431 tonnes in February 2014 to 4,116 tonnes in February this year. Meanwhile the price for whole frozen cod increased by 65 per cent, from NOK 15.21 per kg to NOK 25.09 per kg.

Fresh fish increases export value

Norway exported fresh codfish products worth NOK 353.8 million in February. This is an increase of 4 per cent, or NOK 13.5 million compared with February 2014.

New in 2015 is a separate item number for the quality marked cod, and in February cod exports totalled NOK 43.6 million. Exports by volume in February were 1,409 tonnes of cod. The average price for codfish was NOK 30.95 per kg.

The export value of fresh cod in February was NOK 150 million. This represents a fall from NOK 218 million in February 2014. The price increased in February to reach NOK 24.98 per kg, compared to NOK 17.32 per kg in February 2014.

Exports of fresh cod fillets increased by NOK 3.5 million to a total of NOK 60.3 million in February. Most species of cod experienced a price increase. The price of fresh cod fillets increased by 35 per cent, haddock increased by 11 per cent and saithe increased by 12 per cent in February year-on-year.