July 26, 2010

Norway eyes Japanese seafood market

The Norwegian Seafood Export Council is busy marketing Norwegian seafood in Tokyo, Japan at the Japan International Seafood and Technology Expo - "Seafood International".

"The Japanese market is challenging, with a stagnant overall market and strong competition, but is still a market of great importance for Norway," says fisheries envoy from Norwegian Seafood Export Council Hans Petter Naes.

"For mackerel, capelin and salmon, Japan is a market with particular importance. We are hoping to increase salmon potential in the market through sushi."

Exhibition like this is an important marketing avenue that provides trading opportunities to increase the sales of Norwegian seafood.

Salmon - particularly in the form of sushi and sashimi - is now the most preferred fish in Japan, according to the latest report from the Fisheries Ministry. In the first half of this year, over 13,000 tonnes of Norwegian salmon were exported to Japan.