About Seattle Pollock Roe Auctions

The first round of pollock roe auctions is over. Almost nine thousand tons of roe was sold, average price was more than JPY1,000 ($12.12) for a kg. The results are actively discussed by "roe community", reports www.megafishnet.com.

The most popular opinion is that "good" roes were in short supply and became more expensive, while "bad" roe was abundant, and became cheaper turned out to be superficial at least. Actual volume sold at the auctions (including negotiated sales) is just a bit less than a year ago (in 2011 there was just one auction because of the natural disaster). Total mako volume turned out to higher than a year ago, gamuko and Kireko - almost the same volume, and volume of mizuko and off grades was substantially less. However strange, the highest price growth (in percentage) was shown by immature and overmature roe, and in money - mako grade. Price went down for low grade roes only.

Nobody could explain this as yet. Japanese retail market shows no trend that could approve this. Anyway, average price soared up 47%, and if the trend keeps on in Pusan, results of Russian producers who sold their roe before Boston will look not that bright.