Though they have fluctuated, prices for Norway’s farmed Atlantic salmon have generally declined over the past nine months – from an average of NOK 72.42 (USD 9.06, EUR 7.71) per kg for fresh salmon in the second week of January to NOK 56.61 (USD 7.09, EUR 6.03) per kg in the first week of October, with the latter price being 3 percent less than in corresponding week of 2016. Although reflecting the high prices seen over the past two years, this latest price was 41 percent more than at the same stage of 2015.
With supplies remaining tight, future prices of three- to six-kg fish will continue to be relatively high over the coming months. Analysts are now expecting them to be at levels of around NOK 55 (USD 6.89, EUR 5.85) per kg this month, rising to NOK 61.10 (USD 7.65, EUR 6.50) in November and NOK 63.90 (USD 8.00, EUR 6.80) in December.
The average FOB price at Norwegian Customs for fresh salmon so far this year is NOK 63.87 (USD 7.99, EUR 6.79) per kg, up 8 percent year-on-year, and 52 percent more than at the same stage of 2015.
The average price of frozen salmon exports, meanwhile, is NOK 65.94 (USD 8.26, EUR 7.02) per kg, up 17 percent compared with the same period of last year and 51 percent more than in 2015.
According to Norwegian Statistics, in the first nine months of this year the country exported 614,755 metric tons (MT) of fresh salmon, which is the same level as a year ago, and 15,894 MT of frozen salmon (down 17 percent).
Norway’s traditional salmon markets of Poland and France have continued to import the most fish this year.
The Scandinavian country is forecast to harvest 1.2 million MT of salmon this year and 1.3 million MT in 2018.
