The growth in seafood exports in the first quarter of 2011 is attributable primarily to higher prices for seafood,” explains Egil Ove Sundheim, director of market information with the Norwegian Seafood Export Council. ”On average, the value of seafood exports from Norway was 46% up on the same period last year, which indicates continued strong demand for Norwegian seafood.”
Ove Johansen, market analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, adds: ”In the first quarter, we noted substantial price increases for Norwegian Salmon, mackerel and herring. Combined with record demand for clipfish, this helped set a new first quarter export record for Norwegian seafood.”
Norwegian Salmon exports leap by NOK 1 billion
Exports of Norwegian Salmon in the first quarter of 2011 topped NOK 7.5 billion. This is an increase of more than NOK 1 billion or 17% compared to the first quarter of 2010. In March alone, exports of Norwegian Salmon were valued at NOK 2.8 billion, an increase in value of NOK 223 million or 8.5% compared to March last year. This significant growth is attributable to higher export prices. In March, the average price for fresh whole Norwegian Salmon was NOK 40.70, up from NOK 36.04 in March 2010. As in the previous month, the biggest export markets for Norwegian Salmon are France and Poland.
Exports of Norwegian Fjord Trout in the first quarter of 2011 declined in value by NOK 60 million to a total of NOK 351 million. In March, the value of exports totalled NOK 102 million, down by NOK 55 million. The biggest export markets for Norwegian Fjord Trout are Russia and Japan.
Growth in exports of herring and mackerel
Exports of herring in the first quarter of 2011 increased in value by NOK 371 million to a total of NOK 1.7 billion. In March, exports of herring totalled NOK 460 million in value, an increase of no less than 70% compared to March last year. Russia and Germany are the biggest export markets for herring from Norway.
Exports of mackerel also showed strong growth in the first quarter of the year, increasing in value by an impressive 50% or almost NOK 200 million to a total of NOK 597 million. Exports in March increased by a massive 98% or NOK 57 million to a total of NOK 116 million. The most important export markets for mackerel from Norway are China and South Korea.
Exports of clipfish and salted fish also up
First quarter exports of clipfish increased by NOK 71 million to a total value of NOK 983 million. Of this, exports of Norwegian Cod were valued at NOK 505 million, saithe NOK 406 million, ling NOK 40 million and tusk NOK 29 million.
In the same period, exports of salted fish increased by NOK 110 million to a total of NOK 394 million. In March, exports were up by NOK 46 million or 30% to a total of NOK 204 million.
