Russian pollock market showing important changes

More specifically, active market participants say that as the weather is getting colder the domestic market of pollock has been showing signs of growing demand. Against the background of declining weather temperatures the pollock sales have increased while prices have remained stable. Some experts think that the price stability can be attributed first of all to rising shipments to the national market. As per late November prices of pollock 25+ have settled at RUR47.00-48.00 per kilo in Moscow and RUR38.00-39.00 per kilo in Vladivostok.

One of the reasons behind the rise of pollock shipments to the Russian market has been a decline of purchases of the Chinese importers and processors who used to re-export the Russian products in the form of fillets back to Russia.

In its turn, the decline of demand from the Chinese is partly connected with introduction as of 1 November 2010 of new SANPiN sanitary standards as to content of glazing in fish fillets and a corresponding decrease of offers from the Russian importers. That has been partly confirmed by the statistics of the nation's import of fish fillets, pollock fillets inclusive. The total import volume in the course of 10 months of the current year 2010 has fallen from 150,000 tonnes to 140,000 tonnes.

The rise of pollock shipments to the domestic market can also be attributed to the rise of pollock catches in the Russian waters. As per mid-November 2010 the Russian pollock harvest amounted to more than 1.2 million tonnes, 30% up on the respective result of 2009.