Norway exported a record 2.6 million metric tons (MT) of fisheries and aquaculture products worth NOK 94.5 billion (USD 11.7 billion, EUR 9.8 billion) in 2017, up 7 percent and 3 percent respectively compared with the previous year. With exports to the EU relatively unchanged from the previous 12 months, the growth in volume and value mainly came from shipments to the U.S. and Asian markets.
According to the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), the Scandinavian country sold 1.6 million MT of seafood worth NOK 61 billion (USD 7.5 billion, EUR 6.3 billion) to EU markets in 2017, representing an increase in volume of 2 percent and a value on par with the previous year.
At the same time, the country shipped 539,000 MT worth NOK 18.7 billion (USD 2.3 billion, EUR 1.9 billion) to Asia, which was an increase in volume of 12 percent or 59,000 MT and an increase in value of 8 percent or NOK 1.3 billion (USD 160.9 million, EUR 134.4 million).
“Increased seafood consumption in Asia is driven by a growing middle class and improved distribution. We expect that the growth will continue in the future, and one example is the potential for China. Given a full normalization of the market access, salmon exports may reach 156,000 MT in 2025, equivalent to 12 percent of current salmon production in Norway,” said Sigmund Bjørgo, NSC’s director in China.
Norway’s largest growth market last year, though, was the United States which bought in 23 percent or NOK 1 billion (USD 123.8 million EUR 103.4 million) more of its seafood last year, for a total export value of NOK 5.7 billion (USD 705.5 million, EUR 589.1 million). This made the United States its fourth largest market in 2017.
The largest export market for Norway was Poland, which took 196,000 MT of seafood worth NOK 8 billion (USD 989.9 million, EUR 826.7 million) last year, although NSC highlighted that the Polish volume and value were both down by 7 percent compared with 2016.
