The value of Norwegian salmon exports continued to trend downward last month, according to new figures from the Norwegian Seafood Export Council (NSEC).
Norwegian salmon exports were valued at NOK 2.1 billion in August, down 13 percent from August 2010. That’s the third consecutive month that they have declined, said NSEC. In the same period, the volume increased by just 10,000 metric tons.
Paul Aandahl, a NSEC market analyst, attributed the drop to decreased demand for fresh salmon and increased competition, particularly from Chile, which is ramping up production as it bounces back from the infectious salmon Anemia (ISA) outbreak of 2007 and 2008.
So far this year, Norwegian salmon exports have amounted to NOK 19.4 billion, up 2 percent from the same period last year, said NSEC.
The average export price per kilogram of fresh whole salmon in August totaled NOK 28.37, down NOK 2.70 from July and NOK 11.42 from August 2010. So far this year, the average export price for fresh whole salmon is NOK 36.53 per kilogram, down NOK 0.50 from the same period last year.
Norway exported 7,988 metric tons of salmon to Asia in August, up 24 percent from August 2010. While growth to Asia has remained relatively stable this year, growth to Eastern Europe has really accelerated in August, up 41 percent to 3,110 metric tons.
