Industry news

Norwegian fresh, frozen, dry and salted cod market situation

Datetime：2021-09-09

A year-on-year growth in value of 32 per cent is the highest ever. Species such as salmon, mackerel, clipfish and king crab have contributed most to this increase.

Increase for fresh cod

·     Norway exported 2,500 tonnes of fresh cod worth NOK 94 million in August.

·     Export volume increased by 16 per cent.

·     Export value increased by NOK 8 million, or 10 per cent, compared with August last year.

·     Denmark, Sweden and Germany were the largest markets for fresh cod from Norway in August.

Exports of fresh fillets of cod to Sweden have increased by 215 tonnes, or 50 per cent, so far this year. In August, exports were 76 per cent ahead of August 2020.

“It is worth noting that 21.5 tonnes, or 28 per cent, of the exports of fresh cod fillets to Sweden in August were from farmed cod”, says Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, Seafood Analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

 

 

Growth in exports to Germany

Another growing whitefish market is Germany.

“Much of Germany's imports of Norwegian cod have usually gone via Denmark, but in recent months we have seen a sharp growth in direct exports of fresh whole cod to Germany. During the last four months, more than 1,150 tonnes of fresh whole cod have been exported from Norway to Germany. This is an increase of over 1,000 tonnes compared to the same period last year”, says Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, Seafood Analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Stability for frozen cod

·     Norway exported 3,500 tonnes of frozen cod worth NOK 142 million in August.

·     This represents a reduction in volume of 1 per cent.

·     Export value is at the same level as August last year.

·     China, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands were the largest markets for frozen cod from Norway in August.

 

Growth for clipfish

·     Norway exported 6,900 tonnes of clipfish worth NOK 359 million in August.

·     This is an increase in volume of 52 per cent.

·     Export value increased by NOK 141 million, or 64 per cent, compared with August last year.

·     Portugal, Brazil and the Dominican Republic were the largest markets for Norwegian clipfish in August.

“In August, the volume of cod clipfish exports to Portugal more than doubled, compared with August last year. So far this year, there has been an increase in export volume of almost 800 tonnes, or 7 per cent. The export volume both in August and so far this year is, however, somewhat lower than in 2019. We are still optimistic about the development in the market for clipfish in Portugal as we head towards Christmas”, says Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, Seafood Analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Largest increase to Brazil

After a weak start to the year, Brazil is now the country with the largest increase in export volume of clipfish so far this year. Volume was more than 1,800 tonnes higher than last year.

“So far this year, the export volume for clipfish of both cod and saithe has increased by more than 20 per cent. In August, we saw a further volume growth to Brazil of 300 tonnes, or 157 per cent, for cod. Also for saithe, exports are going well. Here, export growth was 600 tonnes, or an increase of 202 per cent”, says Brækkan.

 

An optimistic envoy

In total, Brazil imported almost 1,700 tonnes of clipfish in August, worth NOK 83 million.

“In the last four months, the export volume of clipfish of saithe and cod has been higher than in 2019. This positive development gives optimism and belief that the country is now on the right course”, says Øystein Valanes, the Norwegian Seafood Council's envoy to Brazil.

A decline for saltfish

·     Norway exported 890 tonnes of salted fish worth NOK 43 million in August.

·     This represents a reduction in volume of 20 per cent.

·     Export value fell by NOK 7 million, or 15 per cent, compared with August last year.

·     Portugal, Italy and Canada were the largest markets for Norwegian salted fish in August.

 

A fall in export value for dried fish

·     Norway exported 277 tonnes of stockfish worth NOK 41 million in August.

·     This is a reduction in volume of 8 per cent.

·     Export value fell by NOK 2 million, or 4 per cent, compared with August last year.

·     Italy, Nigeria and the USA were the largest markets for Norwegian stockfish in August.

Stockfish exports to Italy continued to grow in August, with a 9 per cent increase in the export volume of cod stockfish. Growth also continues to Nigeria, with a 67 per cent increase in exports of dried heads, and a 20 per cent increase in exports of whole stockfish last month.

“The market for stockfish products to Nigeria has this year been the highest ever, and the demand for Norwegian stockfish in Nigeria is still high”, says Trond Kostveit, the Norwegian Seafood Council's envoy to West and Central Africa.

News source: Seafood Media