Demand for Norwegian salmon in China is skyrocketing, despite a downward trend in the farmed salmon market due to the global financial crisis, according to the China Foreign Trade Bureau.
As China's overall salmon consumption continues to climb, demand is expected to grow as much as 40 percent by 2020.
Norway, the world's largest salmon producer, exported 7,900 metric tons of salmon to China worth nearly USD 30 million (EUR 22.7 million) in 2008, a 21 percent increase from 2007.
From 2004 to 2007, U.S. salmon exports to China soared fivefold, from about 6,000 metric tons to more than 30,000 metric tons. China is the second largest export market for Alaska salmon, tailing closely behind Japan.
China is a relatively new and low-cost market for frozen salmon processing. Chinese frozen salmon supplies mainly originate from North America and are processed into blocks, fillets and portions for re-export to the United States and Europe.
China is also a major destination for Russian pink salmon, which is processed and re-exported to the United States.
April 13, 2009
