Norway exported seafood worth NOK 42.6 billion (USD 5.1 billion, EUR 4.6 billion) in the first six months of 2016, which represented an increase of 25 percent or NOK 8.6 billion (USD 1 billion, EUR 923.3 million) year-on-year.
“The price of salmon is grabbing the most headlines, but the entire seafood industry has had a fantastic first six months. These good results show that there is great demand and that we are achieving good prices for Norwegian seafood,” said Geir Havard Hanssen, communications director with the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC).
Hanssen added that the favorable foreign currency situation was also “contributing positively” to the results.
In terms of products, the Scandinavian country exported NOK 27.9 billion (USD 3.3 billion, EUR 2.3 billion) worth of farmed salmon in H1 2016, which was 28 percent or NOK 6.2 billion (USD 736.9 million, EUR 665.7 million) more than in the first-half of last year.
With salmon volumes down this year, this total was thanks to much higher prices. For example, the average price for fresh whole Norwegian salmon last month was NOK 65.43 (USD 7.78, EUR 7.03) per kg, compared with NOK 40.85 (USD 4.86, EUR 4.39) per kg in June 2015.
"Increased demand for salmon globally in combination with reduced export volume from Norway has driven the price upwards. The EU market has kept its share of Norwegian exports, while exports to the US have increased and are now responsible for 6 percent of the Norwegian salmon exports,” said Paul Aandahl, analyst with the NSC.
Norway also exported trout worth NOK 1.9 billion (USD 225.8 million, EUR 204 million) in H1 2016, up 103 percent or NOK 978 million (USD 116.3 million, EUR 105 million) year-on-year.
The overall total also included NOK 1.6 billion (USD 190.2 million, EUR 171.8 million) worth of fresh cod exports (up 16 percent), NOK 1.3 billion (USD 154.5 million, EUR 139.6 million) of frozen cod (up 40 percent), NOK 1.4 billion (USD 166.4 million, EUR 150.3 million) worth of herring (up 52 percent) and NOK 1.2 billion (USD 142.7 million, EUR 128.8 million) of mackerel.
