April 11, 2017
Norway seafood export volume drops 7%, but value rises 13% in Q1
Despite a 7% decrease in volume, Norwegian seafood exports in the first quarter rose in value by 13% or NOK2.7 billion (US$312.1 million) compared with the first quarter last year. The 636,000 tonnes of seafood exported were worth NOK24.1 billion ($2.79 billion) in the first quarter.
In March alone, 216,000 tonnes of seafood were exported valued at NOK8.9 billion ($1.03 billion), or an increase of 17% or NOK1.3 billion compared with March last year. In terms of volume, there was a decline of 14%.
"The growth in value for Norwegian seafood continues. After the first quarter we see that exports of salmon to the EU have grown in value, despite a volume decline of 5 percent. Salmon exports to Asia and the United States increased by 29 percent in volume. This contributes overall to the volume and value growth for Norwegian salmon exports in the first quarter", said Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit, director of market insight at the Norwegian Seafood Council.
Rørtveit added that fresh whole cod, bacalao, herring and mackerel had also contributed to the growth in value of seafood exports.
Norwegian salmon exports in the first quarter increased 3% to 233,000 tonnes valued at NOK16.1 billion ($1.86 billion), or an increase of 21% or NOK2.8 billion ($323.6 million) compared with the first quarter last year.
Biggest salmon exporters
Poland, France and the US were the biggest importers of Norwegian salmon in the first quarter, according to the Norwegian Seafood Council.
In the first quarter, Norway exported 8,700 tonnes of trout valued at NOK 680 million ($78.58 million). Volume fell by 53%, while the value fell by NOK217 million ($25.08 million) or 24% compared with the first quarter last year.
Japan, Poland and Belarus were biggest markets for trout in the first quarter.
Norway exported 524 tonnes of red king crab worth NOK141 million ($16.34 million) in the first quarter. This is a decline in volume of 18%, while value dropped by NOK8 million ($927,000) or 6%.
Prawn exports declined 12% to a total of 1,800 tonnes, while value fell by NOK42 million ($4.9 million) to a total export value of NOK140 million ($16.22 million) or 23% in the first quarter.