Russian domestic Pollock market affected by change of activity of Chinese buyers

Some ten days before the end of the year 2010 mixed price trends for main fish species can be observed on the Russian Far East market, while pollock has become the main newsmaker, reports  http://www.megafishnet.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/) with reference to own professional sources in the Russian Far East.

In particular, herring prices have been rising, while pollock prices have been decreasing and those of squid have stabilized.

More specifically, squid prices have stayed at the level of RUR82.00-85.00 per kilo, the demand for the species being low untypically for this time of the year. Nevertheless, traders expect the demand to improve and the prices to rise due to a considerable decline of squid catches in the world.

A considerable increase of prices of squid tentacles has occurred as expected. The increase amounts to 10% to RUR60.00 per kilo.

As per the third week of December 2010, the price of herring of all sizes has increased by 5%. Despite good catches of herring in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Barents Sea the prices have increased due to smaller catches of Atlantic herring and a strong demand for the species in China.

Good demand for black halibut has persisted, the price keeping at the level of RUR220.00 per kilo.

Grenadier prices have stayed at RUR34.00-35.00 per kilo. The coldstore inventories have been decreasing as the fishing season has been closed.

On the Russian Far East market the price of headed Alaska pollock has continued to fall. This is due to high inventories both in the Far East and regions of Russia. The price amounts to RUR35.00-36.00 per kilo. Traders expect plentiful supplies of headed pollock on the Russian market due to reluctance of Chinese market, which will contribute to further drop in prices.

The prices of fishmeal continued to fall at an average rate of 5% due to great number of offers. However, as per the beginning of the year 2011 the price increase of fishmeal prices are expected which will be due to:

• The approval of Russian fishmeal export to China by Chinese authorities;
• Good demand for Russian fishmeal in China;
• Seasonal demand for fishmeal in Russia beginning in February.

In December 2010 the prices of cod and flounder have continued falling by 5% on the average.

The supply of frozen Russian saury has been zero with no offers at all, while there have been some offers of saury from Korean and Japanese producers.