The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) latest Alaska pollock purchase – nearly USD 2.3 million (EUR 1.95 million) worth from Trident Seafoods – caps a year of hefty acquisitions of the fish by the federal government.
So far in 2020, the USDA has purchased around 10.7 million pounds of wild Alaska pollock worth USD 22.65 million (EUR 19 million), according to Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP).
Late last week, the agency awarded Trident a contract to deliver nearly 1.5 million pounds of frozen bulk pollock worth USD 2.27 million (EUR 1.92 million).
The Trident buy pushes up the USDA’s total 2020 Alaska pollock purchases, making it the agency’s third highest purchase volume and dollar value on record – behind 2019 and 2017 – GAPP CEO Craig Morris told SeafoodSource.
The agency has yet to award a contract for 790,000 pounds of Alaska pollock nuggets.
"It is wonderful to see USDA continuing to purchase at these volumes such a sustainable and healthy protein, wild Alaska pollock, caught in U.S. waters by U.S. fishermen, for some of our great nation's most vulnerable populations — including our children served by the National School Lunch Program and those in need depending on food banks to help them feed their families during this unprecedented time,” Morris said.
GAPP members not only view the USDA as a “very important customer, but also see the USDA’s purchases of wild Alaska pollock as a source of great pride, seeing our ‘perfect protein’ go to those who depend on USDA foods for their protein needs,” Morris added.
