Norway 2016 salmon exports hit record high

NORWAY’S fish farmers exported salmon worth 61.4 billion kroners (around £6 billion sterling) in 2016, according to the latest figures out today - and on lower volumes.

This is the highest export figure ever. The Norwegian Seafood Council said the value of salmon has never been higher. Trout exports also performed well.

Analyst Paul T Aandahl said there was a strong demand for Norwegian salmon during the period, mainly from markets within Europe, the United States and Asia.

The average export price for fresh whole salmon was NOK 60.11 per kilo in 2016 - NOK 17.26 million or 40 per cent higher than in 2015, which was also a record year.

The average export price for fresh whole salmon during 2016 varied between 54.34 kroners per kilogram in September and 69.36 million in December.

The average export price in December was incidentally the highest average price ever recorded for a single month.

Norway exported 749,000 tonnes of salmon to the EU in 2016, with a value of NOK 45.3 billion, down by 5.5 per cent (43,000 tonnes) in volume terms.

In fact, approximately 76 per cent of all Norwegian salmon exports, measured in product weight, went to the EU last year.

The biggest markets were Poland and France, but the largest growth country was Greece.

Exports to the US were worth NOK 3.4 billion - up by six per cent. Sales to Asia were worth NOK 10.5 billion - up by 39 per cent.

Norway exported 68,227 tonnes of trout worth NOK 3.9 billion last year. This is an increase of 29 per cent or 15 400 tonnes, and 69 per cent or NOK 1.6 billion from 2015.

The export price for fresh whole trout, increased by 16.14 per kg.