The volume of Norwegian salmon, cod and haddock exported to the United Kingdom fell steeply in the first two months of this year, according to the latest statistics provided by the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC).
A total 8,510 metric tons (MT) of Norwegian farmed salmon was exported to the U.K. market in January and February, down 18 percent year-on-year, as supplies remained tight and prices stayed at high levels. Despite the large drop in volume, the value of the salmon trade increased 5 percent.
Cod was down 14 percent in volume to 3,019 MT during the same period due to the late start of the catching season. This, said NSC, also had a knock-on effect on the haddock fisheries, with the supply to the U.K. market down 24 percent to 3,264 MT. Even though these volumes are much lower than a year previously, the export price of both species to the United Kingdom has remained steady. Consequently, the value of the cod and haddock trades fell by 13 percent and 26 percent, respectively.
Some of Norway’s lesser volume species, however, saw significant growth in the opening two months with the United Kingdom importing 146 MT of shrimp and 81 MT of fjord trout, representing volume increases of 209 percent and 135 percent, respectively.
Norway’s total seafood exports (to all markets) in January and February amounted to 374,000 MT worth NOK 15.1 billion (USD 1.8 million, EUR 1.6 billion). This included 142,000 MT of salmon with a value of NOK 10 billion (USD 1.2 billion, EUR 1.1 billion).
