Page 20 - Seafood, Fishing & Aquaculture 2017-2018

Norwegian seafood export reaches

new heights and new markets

The export of Norwegian seafood keeps reaching new heights and new markets. Last year 2.4 million
tons of Norwegian seafood was exported from Norway to the world. The total value was 91.6 billion NOK.

By Alf Fagerheim

Norwegian seafood is consumed in most increased for the best-selling products, even though these changes will not be in
parts of the world. 34 million meals of such as clip fi sh, stock fi sh and fresh the statistics for 2017.
Norwegian seafood are served daily, and products. The Norwegian industry has
in 2016 Norway exported seafood to 146 also been helped by a favorable currency More live king crab
different countries. The seafood is exported rate and good relationships with the Norwegian export of shellfi sh includes
to big, well established markets in Europe markets demanding their fi sh. Markets mainly king crab, snow crab and shrimps.
and Asia; to countries like Great Britain, that request more cod contribute to the Last year, the total export of shellfi sh was
France, Spain, Germany and Japan, as well battle for the fresh produce, as the season 440 000 tons worth 1.8 billion NOK. Catch
as to smaller markets measured in volume gets tougher. More whole fresh cod is of king crab in the Barents Sea has been
and consumption. These are nevertheless being sold to high-paying markets. This is going on since 2002. Today, approximately
important for an expanding seafood nation particularly evident for the quality brand 570 boats fi sh for king crab and deliver it at
like Norway. We have taken a closer look Skrei, a direct result of years of focus on processing facilities along the coast. The
at three traditional markets for Norwegian skrei (spawning cod). Simultaneously, king crab is being exported both frozen
seafood, as well as one of the Norwegian this may make it harder to obtain fresh and live. Since 2002, the percentage of
Seafood Council’s focus markets. This products for the conventional sectors, live crabs being exported has increased
includes a closer look at whitefi sh and like clip fi sh and stock fi sh. They usually signifi cantly. In 2016, approximately 50 %
conventional products like king crab, snow buy their fresh products early in the year, of the king crabs exported were in living
crab and shrimp. process it and sell it in the autumn. condition. From 2015 to 2016 the share
of live crabs increased from 634 tons to
The Battle for cod There have been challenges in several 1169 tons. The total export of frozen and
2016 was a good year for the whitefi sh of the traditional clip fi sh markets over live crabs accounted for 2 239 tons, worth
industry with a primary value of 11 billion last year. 2017 may also turn out to be 529 million NOK. South Korea is by far
NOK, and an export value of 13.8 billion challenging for the clip fi sh industry. In Norway’s biggest market for king crabs,
NOK. An explanation for this is the fact Portugal, the most important cod clip followed by USA and Canada, while Japan
that the quotas have remained stable for fi sh market for Norway, trade is doing is the main market for frozen crab. A lot of
the past three years while the prices have well in spite of the fact that the country, the crab shipped to South Korea makes
as a whole, has struggled through hard its way to other Asian countries and to the
fi nancial times. In Brazil, Congo, Congo- US. The Norwegian market share in Japan
Brazzaville and Angola, there have been (8%), South Korea (10%) and USA (1%) is
a number of challenges, both in terms of still relatively modest.
market access and lack of purchasing
power. As for Nigeria, a strong market for When Norway in 2016 changed the date
Norwegian stock fi sh, high tariff barriers for the start of the quota year to January 1,
and currency restrictions have caused the exports increased. This was particularly
problems. A large portion of whole and evident for the fi rst half of 2016. However,
frozen cod has left the Norway, primary compared to Russia, Norway is but a small
for further processing in China and participant in the world’s king crab market.
Eastern Europe. This is a trend that may In Japan and South Korea, Norway is not
be changing as investments are being a well-known supplier of king crab and
made both on vessels and on shore Norwegian king crab is often priced lower
facilities to improve and streamline the than its Russian counterpart. However, in
production. Over time a larger portion of Japan it is often claimed that Norwegian
the processing may take place in Norway, king crab has the best taste and size.

Norwegian Bacalao and Skrei are To the Norwegian Seafood Council it is
both available on the Canary Islands. important to increase knowledge and

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