According to the information the exports of mackerel in October 2010 were valued at NOK 865 million, an increase of NOK 247 million or 40 percent compared to October 2009. Exports of herring showed a drop in value of 30 percent, down from NOK 544 million in October 2009 to NOK 380 million in October 2010. In total the pelagic fish export in October rises 9 percent from the same month last year.
The data shows that for the year to date, the value of exports of pelagic fish totals NOK 5.9 billion, which is 12 percent up on the same period last year. Senior analyst, Kristin Lien from the Norwegian Seafood Export Council states that the figure for October reflects the higher mackerel quota, which has found its way to well-paid markets, as well as a herring season that arrived a little later than usual.
Japan being the largest market for frozen mackerel and the exports in October totalled 67,000 tonnes, up by 9,000 tonnes from October last year. Most of the mackerel exports were for the Japanese consumer market, with 27,000 tonnes exported directly to Japan and 14,000 tonnes to China, most of it for filleting/processing and re-export to Japan.
In October, exports of frozen whole herring totalled 49,000 tonnes, down some 26,000 tonnes from the same month last year. The main importers of herring from Norway are Nigeria (20,000 tonnes) and Russia (13,000 tonnes). In October, exports of frozen herring fillet products totalled 14,000 tonnes, a decline of 8,000 tonnes compared to October last year.
