This record high export is equivalent to 431,000 tons of fish, of which 199,000 tons are frozen whole herring, 62,000 tons frozen herring fillets, 92,000 tons frozen whole capelin, and 38,000 tons frozen whole mackerel.
“The pelagic sector has shown good export growth in the first quarter. This is to a large degree due to a strong export increase in the month of March compared with 2008. The increase is for NOK 409 million or 146%, compared with the same month of last year. Much more herring has been exported, along with herring fillet products and a large amount of capelin, while the prices have been higher than last year,” says Senior Analyst Kristin Lien at the Norwegian Seafood Export council.
Russia the largest market for herring
199,000 tons of frozen whole herring were exported in the first three months of this year and this is a volume decrease of 5,000 tons. The value was NOK 850 million. Russia has been the largest market with 60,000 tons, an increase of 5,000 tons from 2008. Nigeria has been the second largest market with 55,000 tons, a decrease of 15,000 tons, while Ukraine has increased by 4,000 tons to 42,000 tons, followed by Lithuania, the UK, Kazakhstan, Belarus and the Netherlands.
More herring fillets
62,000 tons of frozen herring fillet products were exported in the first quarter of 2009 for a value of NOK 514 million. This is a volume increase of 13,000 tons. Russia, Germany, Ukraine, the Netherlands and Lithuania increased their purchase of herring fillet products, while the export to Poland showed a downturn.
Capelin to Russia
In the first three months of 2009, 92,000 tons of frozen whole capelin were exported at a value of NOK 363 million. 50,000 tons have gone to Russia, 17,000 tons to Ukraine and 10,000 tons to Japan.
