While as many as 78 percent of Americans say they like the taste of salmon, they eat only 15.9 grams of it per week – just 6 percent of the recommended intake of seafood. Despite this low per capita consumption, the United States is the No. 1 salmon market in the world with a total consumption of 374,400 metric tons (MT) in 2015, and this total would immediately double if the population followed a similar consumption pattern to that of the EU, suggests Marine Harvest’s new Integrated Annual Report for 2016, “Leading the Blue Revolution.”
An average EU citizen eats 2.5 kg of salmon every year, compared to just 1.2 kg in the United States, but were U.S. consumers to eat as much as their EU counterparts, the market would grow to 625,700 MT. And if every American ate one single portion every month – just one-fifth of what every Norwegian consumes – the market size would stand at 760,700 MT per year, highlights the report.
The potential of the U.S. salmon and seafood market is “undisputed,” states Marine Harvest, with the country’s ongoing health situation, changing consumer behavior and the growing accessibility of healthy and tasty seafood that is easy to prepare, making for “an exciting future for the industry.” Indeed, to increase its supply to the market, the Norway-headquartered producer will this year open its fifth North American factory.
In 2016, U.S. consumption remained “more or less flat” with the reduced supply from Chile compensated by increased North American output and imports from Europe, but taking the significant price increase into account, this was a good development, said Marine Harvest.
By comparison, consumption in the EU fell by 3.1 percent last year due to the reduced supply.
According to the report, the global harvest volume of Atlantic salmon was approximately 1,948,700 MT gutted weight in 2016, which was 137,300 MT or 6.6 percent less than in 2015. Chile accounted for the bulk of the reduction with its output falling 56,800 MT or 15.7 percent to 454,000 MT, mainly as a result of the algal bloom in March last year.
The output from Norway decreased by 56,800 MT or 5.1 percent to 1,054,000 MT, and the Scottish harvest dropped by 5,600 MT or 3.7 percent to 144,100 MT. These two reductions were mainly related to biological challenges, resulting in lower production levels and reduced survival.
However, the supply from North America increased by 8,200 MT or 5.9 percent to 148,100 MT and the output from Australia climbed 1,300 MT or 8.3 percent to 16,900 MT.
Earlier this year, Marine Harvest said it expected there to be low volume growth this year – between -1 percent and 4 percent – with a best-case global production of 2,034,000 MT. It expects its own production to rise 6 percent to 403,000 MT, with Norway forecast to contribute 250,000 MT, Chile 45,000 MT, Canada 42,000 MT and 54,000 MT would come from its Scottish operations.
