Norwegian seafood exports slow in April
THE two-year long surge in Norwegian seafood exports of all types was brought to a halt last month. The April figures show that 151,000 tonnes of seafood worth NOK 6.8 billion were sold overseas - down 23 per cent in volume and seven per cent in value compared to April 2016.
However, sales for 2017 so far are still up in value. Volumes for the first four months remain roughly the same as last year’s at 886,000 tonnes worth NOK 31 billion. The value increased by NOK 2.3 billion or eight per cent.
Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit, director of market insight at the Norwegian Seafood Council, said: ‘The decline in seafood exports in April is mainly due to a shift in Easter, which again explains some of the decline in export volumes for our important seafood products.’
The country exported 60,000 tonnes of salmon worth NOK 4.9 billion in April. The reduction in the volume of exports to the EU was 9,400 tonnes.
The value of salmon exports is broadly at the same level as April 2016. So far this year, Norway has exported 305,000 tonnes of salmon with a total value of NOK 21 billion.
The average price for fresh whole salmon rose to NOK 63.59 per kg in April 2017 compared with NOK 57.11 per kg just over a year ago. Poland, France and the United States were the largest export markets in April.
Paul Aandahl, analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council, said: ‘Strong price growth compared with the same period last year has led to a value added of NOK 2.7 billion or 15 per cent for Norwegian salmon exports so far this year.
‘A trend we have seen over time is that exports to the EU are reduced, while exports to overseas markets have increased.’