While salmon is one of the most commercially important seafood species in the United Kingdom, the market imported significantly less products (all varieties) and paid lower prices for them last year, according to provisional trade data compiled by Seafish.
In volume terms, the U.K. market imported 81,269 metric tons (MT) of salmon in 2015, down 8.4 percent compared with the previous year. These imports had a total value of just under GBP 400 million (USD 584.7 million, EUR 524.3 million), a decline of 11.3 percent. This equated to an average of GBP 4.89 (USD 7.15, EUR 6.41) per kg, a drop of 3.1 percent.
In terms of value, salmon imports were only eclipsed by cod at almost GBP 440 million (USD 643.7 million, EUR 576.6 million), up 7.3 percent, based on a volume of 115,321 MT.
The main supplier of salmon to the U.K. market last year was the Faroe Islands with 21,879 MT of product with a value of GBP 104.3 million (USD 152.5 million, EUR 136.7 million). Imports from the Faroes fell 28.7 percent in volume and 31.3 percent in value.
Imports from Sweden and the United States followed in second and third-place, respectively. Sweden exported 21,879 MT of salmon products valued at GBP 93.3 million (USD 136.4 million, EUR 122.3 million), while the States exported 10,599 MT with a value of GBP 54.1 million (USD 79.1 million, EUR 70.9 million).
Meanwhile, salmon remained the United Kingdom’s No. 1 seafood export, despite large declines in the volume and value exported. In 2015, the trade totaled 117,836 MT with a value of GBP 508.3 million (USD 743.4 million, EUR 666 million), down 8.5 percent and 20.8 percent, respectively.
The average export price paid for U.K. salmon last year was GBP 4.31 (USD 6.31, EUR 5.65) per kg, a drop of 13.5 percent.
The United States was the top destination for these exports, bringing in 33,139 MT of product valued at GBP 178.9 million (USD 261.7 million, EUR 234.4 million), down 25 percent and 23.5 percent respectively. The average price paid per kg by U.S. importers increased 2 percent to GBP 5.40 (USD 7.90, EUR 7.08).
France followed with imports totaling 35,254 MT and a value of GBP 126 million (USD 184.4 million, EUR 165.1 million), with the volume up 21.1 percent and the value down 6.6 percent. China, in third place, imported 14,054 MT for GBP 60.9 million (USD 89.1 million, EUR 79.8 million), representing declines of 4.6 percent and 12.5 percent, respectively.
