The Russian Fishery Company (RFC) has announced it has begun to expand its exports of deep-processed pollock fillets into China and Japan.
The company announced it has signed another contract for 1,000 metric tons (MT) of pollock fillets into China, with an agreement for another 2,500 MT “being prepared for conclusion.” In addition, 600 MT of pollock fillets were contracted for the Japanese market.
RFC announced that it has ambitions to export “at least” 5,000 MT of fillets to the Asian region.
“The RFC is aimed at a significant increase in the share of products with high added value, a reduction in the supply of HG Pollock (headless) for the production of secondary frozen products, and the development of new fillet and surimi markets,” RFC Director of Strategic Development, Marketing, and Sales Support Maxim Klyushin said. “By the end of 2021, it is planned that the share of fish sent for the production of sea-frozen fillet and surimi will exceed 50 percent of the total catch.”
In addition to expanding its exports to Asian markets, the company announced it is also expanding the domestic market for its products. In 2020, RFC said, 1,000 MT of fillets were supplied to Russia’s domestic market, and the company is targeting 5,000 MT per year in 2021 and 2022.
The company is also expanding its surimi production, RFC announced. The company has commissioned the construction of 10 new supertrawlers that will enhance the efficiency of fishing operations, and new processing technology on board the vessels will allow the company to process surimi for the first time. The company recently took delivery of the first vessel, and it announced that construction has begun on the fifth vessel.
“The first vessel was handed over to the RFC in 2020 and will start fishing in the A season of 2021,” RFC said. “This year, the RFC will receive the first two supertrawlers from a series of vessels that are being built at the Admiralty shipyards in St. Petersburg.”
The company plans to use the new supertrawlers to produce 4,000 to 5,000 MT of surimi in 2021, increasing to “about” 20,000 MT of surimi by 2022.
Photo courtesy of the Russian Fishery Company
