Ending Pollock Roe Season in Russia and USA outlines prospects for prices and total market volumes

Another series of pollock roe auctions in Busan is over.  The next week, beginning with April, 16, is devoted to Seattle auctions.  Situation will be clearer in a week (and absolutely clear when all the auctions are over).  However, it’s high time to make intermediate conclusions while to determine price outlook it is important to look into quality of the American roe, reports www.megafishnet.com.

Price is moving up.  It is not just average price, but each grade price.  It’s clear that the large mature “right color” roe is in short supply this year.  However, on the last week even ordinary off-grade (small, torn, dark) reached $10.00, and $8.00 was minimal.  At the beginning of the season the same quality product price was $7.00-7.50.

Highest quality roes reached and allegedly crossed $16 threshold, i.e. was a dollar up to earlier prices.

Of course, the most interesting question is what happens later.  The roe season is almost over both in Russia (East Sakhalin could add up to 3,000 MT to 28,800 produced).  US production for April, 7 was 15,132 MT, a small rest of inshore quota, judging by experience, will not give any substantial production.  That means that total roe production volume in 2012 will be very much the same as a year ago.  We don’t really know what roe was produced in USA, but judging by high prices paid to Russian producers by Maruha Nichiro and Nippon Suisan, the biggest roe producers in America.  They surely know real situation at Alaska, we could guess the American quality turned out to be low again.

Market players mention that total US$ value of roe purchase this year is already almost the same as total budget 2011.  However, almost half of both Russian and American roe has not been sold.  There are indicators that the buyers have not enough money to buy some lots.  Fund shortage could cause price drop immediately after the Golden week, and Russian producers must prepare to it.