Norway salmon exports up despite hot weather

DESPITE the heatwave and a fall in prices at the end of last month, Norwegian salmon exports rose during July in both volume and value, thanks to easier access to Chinese markets.

Overseas sales of salmon totalled 90,700 tonnes and were worth 5.8 billion kroner (£535 million), up 11 per cent in value and four per cent in volume.

So far this year, salmon exports have totalled 595,000 tonnes, worth NOK 40.3 million (£3.7 billion).

Paul T. Aandahl, seafood analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Council, said: ‘Demand for salmon continues to increase.

‘The largest growth has been in exports to Asia. This is mainly driven by improved access to the Chinese market and this has led Norwegian exporters being better able to exploit the potential that exists in this market.’

The average price for whole fresh salmon in July was NOK 59.55 per kilo, compared with NOK 56.38 a year ago.

Sales of farmed trout continue to surge at an impressive rate, due to strong demand from the United States.

They totalled 5,114 tonnes last month, worth NOK 304 million, a 45 per cent rise in value and a 54 per cent increase in volume.

Total seafood exports, including cod and haddock, totalled 164,000 tonnes last month and were worth NOK 7.8 billion (£720 million), down six per cent in volume but up 11 per cent in value.

Britain is probably the largest buyer of frozen cod, and more worrying for seafood processors in the UK and elsewhere is that the price of frozen cod is 18 per cent more expensive than a year ago and that of fresh cod is 32 per cent more expensive.

July was also a good month for cold water shrimp (prawn) sales, which saw a 12 per cent increase in value to NOK 5.9 million (almost £550,000).