Latest statistics of fish consumption in Russia

Annual per capita fish consumption in Russia has been growing in 2005-2006 with the index rising by 0.5% from 16.88 kilos in 2005 to 16.98 kilos in 2006, according to Rosstat figures.

The rise is attributed mostly to growing fish consumption in towns and cities. More specifically, in 2005 fish consumption in cities amounted to 16.87 kilos and in 2006 it grew by 1% to 17.09 kilos per capita.

At the same time, fish consumption in rural Russia has decreased by 2%. In particular, fish consumption in Russian villages amounted to 16.68 kilos in 2006 down from 16.90 kilos per capita in 2005.

In the year 2006 the statistics displayed a rise of annual consumption of all the products from finfish and other aquatic species. More specifically, consumption of live/froze fish grew by 0.7% from 10.81 kilos in 2005 to 10.89 kilos in 2006.

However, the above product category has also displayed a rise of urban consumption against a fall of rural consumption. In particular, consumption of live and frozen fish in towns and cities grew by 1% from 10.73 kilos in 2005 to 10.94 kilos per capita in 2006, while villagers consumed 10.75 kilos of live and frozen fish in 2006, 3% down from 11.02 kilos in 2005.

The situation with consumption of salted, smoked and dried fish has been quite the opposite. More specifically, the overall rise of consumption in 2006 amounted to 0.2% with the index growing from 3.41 kilos in 2005 to 3.42 kilos in 2006. However, the consumption rise for this product category should be attributed mostly to growing consumption in villages. In particular, in 2006 villagers increased consumption of salted, smoked and dried fish by 3% as compared to 2005, namely from 3.87 kilos to 4.00 kilos per capita. At the same time, consumption of the above mentioned fish products in towns and cities dropped by 1% from 3.24 kilos in 2005 to 3.21 kilos in 2006.

Russia's total consumption of canned fish also grew by 0.6% from 1.64 kilos in 2005 to 1.65 kilos per capita in 2006. In towns and cities consumption of canned fish increased by 1% from 1.77 kilos in 2005 to 1.80 kilos in 2006, while in villages the figure dropped by 3% from 1.29 kilos in 2005 to 1.26 kilos in 2006.

As regards convenience fish and ready-to-eat fish, the consumption pattern has been displaying a growing trend among urban residents, by 1% to 0.56 kilos per capita in 2006, and a falling trend in villages, by 3% to 1.26 kilos per capita in 2006. For comparison, the annual volume of consumption of ready-to-eat fish in cities and towns amounted to 0.55 kilos per capita and to 0.29 kilos in villages.

Annual per capita consumption of fish in Russia

The table has been compiled from the data provided by the ROSSTAT (Russian Statistics Service). The study involved ca.50,000 households.

Experts say that estimation of per capita consumption via monitoring households is more accurate than drawing up balances on the basis of production, export, import, etc. That can be explained by the fact that the monitoring covers all the fish flows to consumers, including unreported quantities.