Norwegian seafood worth almost NOK5.5bn was exported in October - a downturn of NOK345m or 6% compared with the same month last year.
However, Norway exported cod, including clipfish, saltfish and dried fish worth NOK1.22bn, which is an increase of 4% or NOK51.8m compared with the same month in 2010. Kjell-Åge Rognli, market analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, says that the positive trend for cod continued in the month of October. Historically good exports of frozen white fish coincide with the news of record cod and haddock quotas in the Barents Sea, he said.
So far this year, seafood exports have been worth NOK 43.3 billion, an increase of NOK 362 million on the record year of 2010, according to figures from the Norwegian Seafood Export Council.
Egil Ove Sundheim, Director of Market Information at the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, says that the downturn in seafood exports for October is due to the low world market price for salmon.
Salmon exports fell by NOK756m or 25% to a total of NOK2.25bn in October. During the period from January to October inclusive, the average price for fresh salmon with the head was NOK33.60 per kg, but in October, the price of salmon was NOK 23.43 per kg, a decrease of NOK13.49 per kg compared with October last year.
Mackerel exports increased by NOK303m in October, and herring exports increased by NOK108m.
Exports of frozen, whole white fish totalled NOK308m in October - NOK134m or 77% higher than the same month last year. Saltfish worth NOK482m was exported in October, representing a reduction of 6%.
