Norway exported seafood products worth a total of NOK 6.7 billion (EUR 698.9 million; USD 780.1 million) last month, which represented an increase of 18 percent or NOK 1 billion (EUR 104.3 million; USD 116.4 million) compared to January 2015 and continued the country’s strong growth trend of recent years.
Despite trade restrictions in several markets and the import embargo in Russia, Norway’s seafood exports totaled NOK 74.5 billion (EUR 7.8 billion; USD 8.7 billion) last year, which was 8 percent or NOK 5.8 billion (EUR 605 million; USD 675.1 million) more than the country’s previous record total, set in 2014.
“We are leaving behind a strong 2015 with all-time records for Norwegian seafood exports, and entering the New Year with an equally strong start. Almost all seafood categories have seen year-on-year increases. January, once again, is an all-time high for total seafood exports when measured by value,” said Marit Rein, acting communications director at the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC).
Leading the way were the country’s exports of cod, saithe, haddock and other groundfish, together worth more than NOK 1.2 billion (EUR 125.2 million; USD 139.7 million) last month, which was 11 percent or NOK 128 million (EUR 13.4 million; USD 14.9 million) more than in January 2015.
A new export record for fresh products of NOK 324 million (EUR 33.8 million; USD 37.7 million), as well as high levels of frozen cod accounted for this growth.
