Record salmon exports in 2014

”Increased salmon production in Norway combined with strong demand and record salmon prices have contributed to set a new export record for Norwegian salmon,” says Paul Aandahl, branch manager for salmon and trout at the Norwegian Seafood Council. ”This is despite one of the biggest markets for Norwegian salmon, Russia, choosing to close its borders to Norwegian seafood on August 7th 2014”. Measured by product weight, Norway exported 999,000 tonnes of salmon in 2014, which is 4 per cent higher than the year before.

Record salmon prices The export price for fresh whole salmon during 2014 fluctuated between NOK 34.96 per kg in September and NOK 48.88 per kg in January. The average export price for 2014 was NOK 41.06 per kg. This is NOK 1.35 or 3.4 per cent more than in 2013.

Increased exports to EU after import ban from Russia Following the Russian import ban in August 2014 the EU´s share of Norwegian seafood exports increased significantly. Measured by product weight, 720,000 tonnes of salmon were exported to the EU, which represents an increase of 11 per cent compared to 2013. “Being excluded from Russia illustrates the strong demand for salmon in the world market as well as the ability of Norwegian exporters to adapt to market changes. Norwegian salmon exporters have become less dependent on individual markets,” says Bjørn-Erik Stabell, salmon marketing manager at the Norwegian Seafood Council. Poland is Norway's most important salmon export market within the EU. Measured by value salmon exports increased by 10 per cent in 2014 to reach a total of NOK 5.5 billion. The UK was the biggest growth market in the EU, increasing by 12,300 tonnes to 60,000 tonnes measured by product weight. Increased volumes to USA Salmon worth NOK 1.9 billion were exported to the United States in 2014, which is a 64 per cent gain on 2013. Measured by product weight, 47 per cent, or 9,000 tonnes more salmon were exported in 2014 compared to 2013. Both exports of fresh fillets and fresh whole salmon increased in 2014. 8,000 tonnes of fresh whole salmon were exported to the United States in 2014, a product that until 2012 had been negatively affected by punitive import duties.

Exports to Eastern Europe sharply reduced The value of salmon exports to Eastern Europe fell by 37 per cent in 2014, compared to 2013, to a total of NOK 3.56 billion,. The reason for the decline is primarily the Russian import ban and a reduction in exports to the Ukrainian market. Exports to other countries in the region have remained stable or have increased in 2014.

Asian export volumes increase Norway exported salmon to Asia worth NOK 6.56 billion in 2014 – an increase of 16 per cent from 2013. Measured by product weight, exports to Asia increased by 11 per cent, or 14,000 tonnes, in 2014. The largest value increases were to Israel, Hong Kong and South Korea.

Trout exports in line with last year Meanwhile Norway’s trout exports were worth NOK 2.34 billion in 2014. This represents a decrease of 1 per cent, or NOK 29 million compared with 2013. Measured by product weight, 50,700 tonnes of trout were exported in 2014. This is a decrease of 9.5 per cent compared to 2013. Whilst the supply of trout to eastern Europe reduced, there was an increase in exports to the EU, Asia and USA. Within the EU, trout export value increased the most to Poland and Finland, while Japan and China were the biggest growth markets in Asia. The price of fresh whole trout increased by NOK 1.79 per kg, or 4.3 per cent, to reach NOK 43.31 per kg – NOK 2.25 higher than the price for fresh whole salmon.