Wholesale prices of bluefin tuna at the Toyosu Wholesale Market on 30 September, reported by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, averaged JPY 3,402 (USD 31.83, EUR 28.98) per kilogram for fresh domestic product from Aomori.
The port of Oma is located in Aomori Prefecture. In mid-August, there were reports that Oma tuna were mostly juveniles, that they were lean, and that the color was pale rather than the desired deep-red. Prices for such fish were reported as low as JPY 2,000 (USD 18.70, EUR 17.01) per kilogram, with some fish going unsold at auction.
However, premium prices are still being paid for the few large and fatty tuna that come in. The high price for Aomori bluefin on 30 September was JPY 24,840 per kilogram (USD 232.41, EUR 211.66).
Other domestic bluefin averaged JPY 2,160 (USD 20.21, EUR 18.40). Imports ranged from JPY 2,484 (USD 23.24, EUR 21.16) to JPY 6,480 (USD 60.63, EUR 55.20). Frozen bluefin, from all sources sold in the range of JPY 2,160 (USD 20.21, EUR 18.40) to JPY 4,644 (USD 43.45, EUR 39.56), with an average price of JPY 2,840 (USD 26.57, EUR 24.19).
Imported fresh southern bluefin tuna ranged from a low of JPY 2,376 (USD 22.23, EUR 20.24) to a high of JPY 3,888 (USD 36.38, EUR 33.12), with an average of JPY 2,894 (USD 27.08, EUR 24.65). Frozen ranged from a JPY 702 (USD 6.57, EUR 5.98) to JPY 4,320 (USD 40.42, EUR 36.80), with an average of 1,804 (USD 16.88, EUR 15.37).
Fresh yellowfin tuna, foreign and domestic, sold in the range of JPY 1,080 (USD 10.10, EUR 9.20) to JPY 1,944 (USD 18.19, EUR 16.56). Frozen domestically landed yellowfin sold in the range of JPY 324 (USD 3.03, EUR 2.76) to JPY 918 (USD 8.59, EUR 7.82).
Fresh bigeye tuna from all sources sold in the range of JPY 1,080 (USD 10.10, EUR 9.20) to JPY 2,700 (USD 25.26, EUR 23.00). Fresh bigeye landed in Miyagi Prefecture averaged JPY 1,908 (USD 17.85, EUR 16.25). Frozen bigeye from both all sources sold from JPY 648 (USD 6.06, EUR 5.52) to JPY 2,484 (USD 23.24, EUR 21.16).
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
