Reduced Exports of Norwegian Salmon in April 2015

Norway exported salmon worth NOK 3.5 billion in April. This is a decline of NOK 362 million or 9 per cent, year-on-year. Salmon exports so far this year have totalled NOK 14.6 billion. This represents an increase of 1 per cent compared with April 2014.

By volume, 82,000 tonnes of salmon were exported in April. This is approximately the same as in April 2014. 342,700 tonnes of salmon have been exported year-to-date. An increase of 8 per cent compared with the same period last year.

”After several years of strong growth in demand for Norwegian salmon, we now see a flattening out. Demand within the EU region is still growing, but this has not been enough to compensate for the reduction in exports to Eastern Europe in 2015”, said Paul T. Aandahl, Market Analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Lower salmon prices

The average export price achieved for fresh whole salmon in April was NOK 39.93 per kilo. This is NOK 5.37 per kilo, or 12 per cent, lower than the same month last year. Salmon prices in April were 4 per cent lower than the average price in March.

Some export challenges in the EU region

EU region exports of Norwegian salmon were worth NOK 2.56 billion in April. This is a decline of 6 per cent, or NOK 160 million year-on-year. By volume, 61,300 tonnes of Norwegian salmon were exported to the EU in April. This is an increase of 5 per cent or 3,200 tonnes year-on-year. Poland, France and Britain were the biggest markets for Norwegian salmon in April. UK continues its growth trend from the first quarter with salmon exports increasing in April by 18 per cent, or NOK 40 million, to NOK 259 million. Exports by volume to the UK totalled 5,800 tonnes in April, an increase of 900 tonnes or 18 per cent from the same month last year.

So far this year, EU region exports of Norwegian salmon have reached NOK 10.7 billion. An increase of 8 per cent, or NOK 821 million, compared with the same period last year. By volume, exports were up by 17 per cent to 243,800 tonnes for the same period.

Increased exports to Asia and the US

Exports of Norwegian salmon to Asia totalled NOK 610 million in April. This is an increase of 16 per cent or NOK 84 million compared with April last year. By volume, 13,400 tonnes of salmon were exported to Asia in April. This is an increase of 26 per cent or 2,800 tonnes year-on-year. Japan, Hong Kong and Israel were the biggest Asian export markets for Norwegian salmon in April.

Year-to-date exports of Norwegian salmon to Asia have reached NOK 2.5 billion, an increase of 18 per cent from the same period in 2014. Volume during the same period increased by 26 per cent to reach a total of 51,900 tonnes.

Salmon exports to the United States totalled NOK 176 million in April. This is an increase of NOK 23 million, or 15 per cent, compared with April 2014. Exported volume increased by 600 tonnes, or 27 per cent to 2,900 tonnes, compared with the same month last year. So far this year, exports to the United States of Norwegian salmon have been worth NOK 741 million, an increase of 25 per cent from the same period in 2014. By volume, 11,800 tonnes of Norwegian salmon have been exported to the United States so far this year. That represents an increase of 37 per cent, or 3,200 tonnes, year-on-year.

Trout exports are lower

Trout exports totalled NOK 147 million in April. This represents is a decline of 37 per cent, or NOK 88 million year-on-year. 3,300 tonnes of trout were exported in April. This is a decline of 33 per cent from April 2014. Belarus was our biggest export market for trout in April, followed by Japan and Poland.

So far this year, exports of trout have reached a total value of NOK 606 million. This is a decrease of NOK 254 million, or 30 per cent, compared with the same period in 2014. Export volumes so far this year have fallen by 25 per cent, to 13,300 tonnes.