The Russian fishing industry is growing – last year Russian fisheries produced more frozen Alaska pollock both for exports and domestic consumption than a year before.?
Compared to the 2010, volumes of unprocessed Alaska pollock production decreased, while exports of frozen fillets in blocks have grown from 25 thousand metric tons (about USD 67 million) to 33 thousand metric tons (about USD 87 million).?
In one of previous posts I’ve noted that in 2011 China and South Korea were main importers of frozen pollock from Russia.?
However, I must say that over the past few years situation with Alaska pollock imports has changed. In 2008 the Alaska pollock market depended on a single buyer since more than two-thirds of imports went to China. But now I see this monopoly diminishing, and Russian fisheries increase supplies to different foreign markets and at once increase sales in Russia itself. I can confirm this trend with my own experience.?
As for Pacific herring, in 2011 volumes of its exports reached USD 111 million, which is 55 percent more compared to 2010.?Unfortunately, due to higher transportation costs the Pacific herring is becoming less competitive against imported Atlantic herring.?My forecast is following: after reduction of import duties on herring (these are the conditions for entry into the WTO) competition on the herring market will become even tighter.
