Another record for Norwegian salmon exports

 Norwegian salmon exports reached a record NOK 2.2 billion (USD 387.7 million, EUR 260.8 million) in October, up 28 percent from the same month last year, the Norwegian Seafood Export Council reported on Thursday.

In terms of volume, Norwegian salmon exports also hit a record 83,536 metric tons (round weight) in October, up 24 percent from the same month last year.

"The strong growth in volume and prices, which are well above the levels seen in 2008, shows that demand for Norwegian Salmon is increasing," said Paul Aandahl, the council's market analyst.

Norway has ramped up its farmed salmon output this year due to the production shortfall in Chile, which is battling an outbreak of infectious salmon anemia. Norway is expanding market share in countries like the United States, where Chile and Canada represent the bulk of the country's farmed salmon supply.

In October, Norwegian exports of fresh salmon fillets to the United States were up a whopping 684 percent, to 1,802 metric tons, from October 2008, while exports of frozen salmon fillets were up 403 percent, to 859 metric tons.

Norway also watched its salmon exports to the European Union — by far its largest market, accounting for 71 percent of the country's total salmon exports — jump 17 percent in October, while its salmon exports to Asia grew 34 percent.

Overall, Norwegian seafood exports totaled NOK 4.9 billion (USD 863.5 million, EUR 581 million) in October, up only 1 percent from October 2008. Through the first nine months of 2009, Norwegian seafood exports hit NOK 35.7 billion (USD 6.3 billion, EUR 4.2 billion), up 16 percent from October 2008.

"The mackerel dispute between Norway and the EU is one of the reasons why the growth in seafood exports has eased in October," said Egil Ove Sundheim, the council's director of market information. "Disagreement over mackerel management measures has led to lower than expected catches of mackerel, which in turn has reduced the export value. Exports of Norwegian salmon continue to show growth, which in October was sufficient to counter the reduction in exports of fish caught in the wild."

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