Norwegian Seafood sets export record of NOK 44.7 billion

"The demand for Norwegian Seafood in 2009 has exceeded all expectations," comments managing director Terje E. Martinussen from the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, "and the demand for Norwegian Salmon in particular has contributed significantly to the total value of exports. For many years, the Norwegian Salmon industry has strengthened its market position through a strong focus on market development, product development and efficient production aimed at a global customer mass, reports www.megafishnet.com with refernce to NSEC.

"At the same time, we are seeing that traditional seafood products such as salted fish, clipfish and stockfish of cod are dependent on a small number of dominant markets and are therefore much more susceptible to market fluctuations, which is why 2009 proved a poor year for many players who are dependent on cod."

Exports to France totalled NOK 4.7 billion in 2009, an increase of NOK 668 million compared with 2008. This places France as our biggest market in 2009, followed by Russia in clear second place with an export value of NOK 4.6 billion, up by NOK 662 million from 2008. In terms of value, the USA has shown the biggest growth with an increase of NOK 879 million. For the year 2009, seafood exports to the USA totalled NOK 1.8 billion, positioning the USA as our ninth most important seafood market. Portugal showed the biggest decline in the value of seafood exports, down by NOK 425 million to end at NOK 1.6 billion. Seafood exports to the EU increased by NOK 3.2 billion to a total of NOK 26.4 billion, equal to 59% of total seafood exports.

In 2009, Norwegian exports of farmed seafood increased by NOK 5.9 billion to NOK 26 billion, equal to 58% of total seafood exports. Of this, Norwegian Salmon accounts for NOK 23.7 billion and Norwegian Fjord Trout accounts for NOK 1.9 billion. These figures represent new export records for both Norwegian Salmon and Norwegian Fjord Trout.

Exports of seafood caught in the wild totalled NOK 18.7 billion in 2009, slightly up on 2008. Exports of capelin, herring, haddock and saithe clipfish set new records in 2009. The value of capelin exports increased by NOK 423 million to a value of NOK 571 million. Herring exports increased in value by NOK 263 million to NOK 4 billion. Haddock exports totalled NOK 1.1 billion, up by NOK 261 million, and exports of saithe clipfish were up by NOK 40 million to NOK 1.1 billion.
Exports of salted cod were down by NOK 495 million to a total of NOK 738 million in 2009, while cod clipfish totalled NOK 1.7 billion, the same as in 2008. Total stockfish exports showed a slight increase in 2009 to end at NOK 616 million.