Exports of groundfish top NOK 5 billion

In the first six months of 2010, exports of groundfish including clipfish, salted fish and stockfish totalled NOK 5.35 billion. This is an increase of 21% or NOK 922 million compared to the same period last year. The volume of exports increased by 51% or 88,300 tonnes to a total of 261,000 tonnes, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to the latest figures from the Norwegian Seafood Export Council.

"Record export levels for a number of products have combined to give one of the best first half-years for groundfish since the record-setting years of the late 1990s," says Kjell-Åge Rognli, market assistant with the Norwegian Seafood Export Council. "Conventional products such as salted fish and Norwegian Cod clipfish are doing especially well. At the same time, we have seen record export volumes of fresh fillets, whole Norwegian Cod and frozen haddock."

The value of exports in June alone totalled NOK 820 million. This is an increase of 19% or NOK 132 million compared to June 2009.
Best first half-year ever for clipfish

In the first half-year of 2010, clipfish exports were valued at NOK 1.47 billion. This is an increase of 15% or NOK 194 million compared to the same period last year. The volume of exports increased by 10% to a total of 41,100 tonnes. In terms of both value and volume, these are record levels for first half-year exports of clipfish.

Exports of Norwegian Cod clipfish in the first six months of the year increased in value by 19% or NOK 126 million to a total of NOK 785 million. The volume of exports in the same period totalled 17,281 tonnes, up by 13,153 tonnes on the same period last year, giving an increase in volume of 31%. The value of exports to Portugal totalled NOK 420 million, an increase of 10% or NOK 39.9 million. Exports to Brazil were up by 48% to a total of NOK 244 million.

First half-year exports of Norwegian Saithe clipfish declined in volume from 22,077 tonnes in 2009 to 19,872 tonnes in 2010. However, higher prices have offset the decline in volume and the value of exports is up by NOK 17 million, an increase of 3% compared to the same period last year. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola have shown the strongest growth during the first half-year, with exports to these countries up in value by 58% and 38% respectively.

In the first half-year, exports of ling clipfish increased from NOK 37.2 million to NOK 65.6 million and exports of torsk clipfish were up from NOK 36 million to NOK 59.7 million compared to the first six months of last year.
Exports of salted fish doubled

In the first half-year, exports of salted whole Norwegian Cod totalled NOK 568 million, an increase of NOK 236 million or 71% compared to the same period last year. The volume of exports of salted whole Norwegian Cod in the first half-year totalled 19,151 tonnes, compared to 9,721 tonnes in the first half-year of 2009, although in the same period prices have fallen by 13%. Portugal is our biggest market for salted fish, with a 60% share of the total export market in the first six months of 2010.
Reduction in exports of stockfish

In the first half-year of 2010, exports of stockfish totalled NOK 200 million. This is a decline of NOK 76.6 million or 28% compared to the same period last year. During this period, Norwegian Cod stockfish from Lofoten suffered a price drop of 40%, from NOK 140 per kg to less than NOK 84 per kg, which was the biggest single decline in value experienced in this category. Sales of stockfish to Italy, the main export market, were down, while exports to Nigeria, the second biggest market, increased in volume.
Record exports of fresh Norwegian Cod

First half-year exports of fresh Norwegian Cod fillets totalled NOK 276 million, an increase of 5% compared to the same period last year. The volume of exports in the same period was up by 7% to a total of 4,292 tonnes. These are record export figures for both the value and the volume of exports of fresh Norwegian Cod fillets for a first half-year period. The average price showed a slight decline of 2% compared to the same period last year.

The value of first half-year exports of whole Norwegian Cod totalled 289 million. This is an increase of 25% or NOK 58 million more than in the first half-year of 2009. The volume of exports in the first six months of 2010 totalled 13,659 tonnes, up by 43% compared to the same period last year. In the same period, the average price per kg has fallen by 12%. Denmark is the biggest importer of both fresh whole Norwegian Cod and fresh Norwegian Cod fillets.
Good half-year for frozen Norwegian Cod

In the first six months of 2010, exports of frozen whole Norwegian Cod increased by NOK 100 million to a total of NOK 303 million compared to the same period last year. The volume of exports increased by 53% to a total of 18,381 tonnes. The biggest export market for frozen whole Norwegian Cod is China, followed by the UK, Poland and Portugal.

Exports of frozen Norwegian Cod fillets in the first half-year increased in value by NOK 66.5 million to a total of NOK 360 million compared to the first half-year of 2009. The volume of exports of frozen Norwegian Cod fillets was up by 43% to a total of 9,943 tonnes, although the average price was down by 14% compared to the first half-year of last year.

Block frozen Norwegian Cod fillets showed growth of NOK 53 million to a total of NOK 113 million. The volume of exports increased by 148% to a total of 3,973 tonnes. This impressive growth is attributable to increased exports to our biggest markets in the UK and France.
Haddock sets first half-year export record

The value of exports of haddock in the first half-year totalled NOK 103 million, an increase of 68% or NOK 42 million compared to the same period last year. The volume of exports in the first half-year totalled 8,639 tonnes, up by 4,036 tonnes on the same period last year.

The first half-year saw exports of frozen whole haddock total NOK 385 million in value. This is an increase of 70% or NOK 158 million compared to the first half-year of 2009. The average price in the same period increased by over 11%.

Never before have the value and volume of exports of haddock been so high in a first half-year period.
Exports of farmed Norwegian Cod show growth

In the first six months of 2010, the total value of exports of farmed Norwegian Cod was NOK 119 million. This is an increase of 21% compared to the same period in 2009. Exports of fresh whole farmed Norwegian Cod in the first half-year of 2010 increased in value by NOK 23 million to a total of NOK 108 million compared to the same period last year. The average price for the first six months of the year showed a decline of 17% compared to the first six months of last year. France and Sweden were the biggest importers of farmed Norwegian Cod.