The value of fisheries and aquaculture imports into the EU in the first six months of this year increased by 8 percent year-on-year to EUR 11.6 billion (USD 12.1 billion). In volume terms, these products amounted to 3 million metric tons (MT), up 5 percent year-on-year.
According to new figures published by the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA), groundfish accounted for 19 percent of imports from third-countries in value and 21 percent in volume, with EUR 2.2 billion (USD 2.3 billion) and 643,200 MT. The value and volume figures were up 4 percent and 6 percent year-on-year, respectively.
Within the category, hake accounted for 12 percent of the value and 13 percent of the volume imported from outside the EU. The EU’s hake imports in H1 2016 totaled 86,700 MT worth EUR 279 million (USD 291 million), down 3 percent and 0.2 percent year-on-year respectively. The average import price during this period increased 3.2 percent to EUR 3.21 (USD 3.35) per kg.
Spain is by far the EU’s biggest market for hake, accounting for more than half of the bloc’s total imports. In value terms, Spanish hake imports in H1 2016 totaled EUR 151 million (USD 157.5 million), up 7 percent year-on-year.
Most hake is imported into the EU as frozen fillets with the trade led by Namibia, Argentina and Chile.
In the first six months of this year, hake imports from Namibia decreased slightly to EUR 102 million (USD 106.4 million), while imports from Argentina increased 42 percent to EUR 44.7 million (USD 46.6 million) and imports from Chile jumped 75 percent to EUR 27.8 million (USD 29 million).
EUMOFA also highlights that in value terms, the EU is the world’s largest trader of fisheries and aquaculture products, with total trade over H1 2016 equating to 6.9 million MT worth EUR 25.6 billion (USD 26.7 billion).
