Norway exported cod, including clipfish, saltfish and dried fish worth NOK 1.22 billion in October. This represents an increase of 4% or NOK 51.8 million compared with the same month in 2010. Measured in terms of volume, exports increased by 1% or 393 tonnes to a total of 40,400 tonnes, according to figures from the Norwegian Seafood Export Council.
– The positive trend for cod continued in the month of October. Historically good exports of frozen white fish coincide with the news of record cod and haddock quotas in the Barents Sea, says Kjell-Åge Rognli, market analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Export Council.
Exports of frozen, whole white fish totalled NOK 308 million in October and this is NOK 134 million or 77% higher than for the same month last year. Measured in terms of volume, this was an increase of 6,203 tonnes to a total of 17,937 tonnes. Never before has so much frozen whole cod been exported in the month of October, whether measured in terms of value or volume.
Frozen whole cod increased the most with an upturn in value of NOK 56 million to a total of NOK 86 million. Frozen whole haddock and saithe also increased with an increase in value of NOK 17 and 35 million to a total of NOK 98 and 69 million. The growth was due to larger volumes and increased prices.
China is the largest recipient of frozen whole white fish from Norway and the export value totalled NOK 142 million in October, an increase of NOK 72 million compared with October last year.
Reduction in exports of clipfish and saltfish – increase in dried fish
Saltfish worth NOK 482 million was exported in October. This represents a reduction of 6% or NOK 34 million compared with the same month last year. Measured in terms of volume, a total of 11,623 tonnes of clipfish was exported, representing a downturn of 14% or 1,908 tonnes compared with last year.
Exports of saltfish products totalled NOK 57 million in October, representing a reduction of NOK 7 million or 11% compared with the same month last year. Measured in terms of volume, 1,541 tonnes of saltfish products were exported compared with 1,997 tonnes in October 2010.
Dried fish exports in October amounted to NOK 125 million and this represents an increase of 17% compared with the same month last year. The growth is due to a general increase in prices. Exports in October to the main market in Italy totalled 428 tonnes of Lofoten cod at a price of NOK 144.32 per kg, representing an increase of NOK 5.23 per kg.
So far this year, exports of conventional products have been worth NOK 4.6 billion, an increase of NOK 364 million or 9% compared with the same period last year.
Good growth for fresh whole cod
Exports of whole fresh fish from fisheries fell by 5% in October compared with the same period last year, and totalled NOK 84 million. The reduction was due to a general reduction in volume. The largest reduction is in fresh whole saithe and angler fish with a reduction in value of NOK 2.6 and 8 million respectively to a total of NOK 5 and 21 million. Fresh whole cod, on the other hand, increased in the month of October by NOK 8.2 million to a total of NOK 23 million, an upturn in value of 55% from the same month last year.
Reduction for farmed cod
Exports of whole farmed cod totalled NOK 27 million in October and this represents a reduction of 33% compared with the same month in 2010. Measured in terms of volume, exports totalled 710 tonnes, 43% lower than October 2010. The average price was NOK 37.90 per kg, which represents an increase of NOK 6.06 per kg.
