Festive salmon sales record for Norway
DECEMBER 15 will go down as the best day in the history of the Norwegian fresh salmon industry, with a record 6,500 tonnes of fish exported in just 24 hours – thanks to unprecedented Christmas demand.
The export volume was worth 319.5 million kroners (£28.8 million) and was equivalent in size to 325 trailer-loads.
It meant the country’s salmon farmers were earning at the rate of almost 222,000 kroners a minute that day.
Seafood Coun-
cil analyst Paul T. Aandahl said: ‘This is the largest export day for fresh Norwegian salmon ever. By the way, week 50 was also the largest week for salmon ever, with an export volume of 30,000 tonnes.’
Aandahl said that despite strong growth in Asian demand, the EU was still the largest market, receiving 79 per cent of exports in the week leading up to the festive holiday.
Demand from Britain was particularly strong. Hans Frode Kielland Asmyhr, the Seafood Council’s UK representative, said: ‘Christmas is a time when the British eat a lot of salmon, both smoked and fresh.
‘There were big campaigns, along with a number of good deals in the stores, which led to an increase in exports to the UK.’
The Seafood Council said December was traditionally the best month for salmon, with Italy and Germany doubling its orders. However, France was top of the list, with consumption trebling during the festive period.