Fewer harvest days keep the supply down.
“For fish between three and six kilograms, the prices are at NOK 122 ($11.22/€10.37), 124 ($11.41/€10.54), and 127-128 ($11.68-11.78/€10.79-10.88). I think it might edge up a bit,” a buyer told SalmonBusiness.
This means another week of high salmon prices, which is not unusual in May.
“Clearly there is a shortage of fish, but temperatures in Europe are rising. I think the demand is terrible. It’s really dismal out there,” he added.
The combination of low supply and high prices is a consistent story.
Supply
“We haven’t sold anything, but we are looking at NOK 120-124 ($11.04-11.41/€10.20-10.54), 124-126 ($11.41-11.59/€10.54-10.71), and 126-130 ($11.59-11.96/€10.71-11.05) for three to six kilograms,” one farmer said.
The eagerness to buy is subdued, especially from the major customer Poland.
“New regulations about frozen salmon for smoking mean that the Poles are focused on clearing out freezer storage and securing fresh salmon. It’s a more restrictive regulation. The Poles have to rethink their finished goods storage; they have to think differently,” he explained.
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“There have been some sales at a loss this week. Some ‘production fish’ appeared. Some ‘prod’ is still leaving the country,” one exporter said.
He provided the following salmon prices, for the upcoming week:
3-4 kg NOK 120 ($11.04/€10.20)
4-5 kg NOK 122 ($11.22/€10.37)
5-6 kg NOK 127 ($11.68/€10.79)
6+ kg NOK 130 ($11.96/€11.05)
“It’s damn high. It’s stable. But relative to the market, it should have gone down,” he said.
Holidays
The main explanation, as he sees it, is fewer slaughter days due to the number of holidays in May.
“Winter sores have begun to heal, there is less ‘prodfish’. There is a lot of fillet, and the market for it is not unlimited. There is little market at those prices for superior.”
Another exporter confirmed the price level.
“Salmon under six kilograms is hard to sell, but the larger ones remain steady. It’s easier to sell the larger fish. But the prices are high. ‘Prodfish’ has risen to NOK 90 ($8.28/€7.65), so it’s a sign that it’s starting to diminish,” he said.
SalmonBusiness gathers spot prices for salmon every Friday after lunch, tracking fish to be delivered the following week. This process involves contacting multiple entities in the value chain, including farmers, exporters, and importers. At least five independent sources are consulted, though they may not always be publicly disclosed.
