But there is a wide spread in the price level depending on which market the fish is placed in.
“We have confirmed sales of 66 kroner (EUR 6.6) at 3-4 kg, 70 kroner (EUR 7.0) at 4-5 kg, and 5-6 kg we have not sold yet, but believe we can get 72-73 kroner (EUR 7.2-7.3). At 6+ kg you can get up to 80 kroner (EUR 8.0) in Europe, and even more in China. There are low average weights and a strong shortage of 6+,“ said a salesman at a fish farming company to SalmonBusiness.
He is not surprised by the price jump.[factbox]
“It is a bit as expected when the late December price was as low as it was, but there is a moderate supply, both in Chile and Norway,“ he remarked.
Gap
This is a significant increase in prices from last week, when the fish was traded around EUR 6/kg. All industrial sources point to a clear rise in prices for the coming week.
“Strong gap in [overseas] air cargo markets versus industry (in Europe – editor’s note). Prices of 3-4 kg (and up) from 65-68 kroner (EUR 6.5-6.8) – (overseas) flights are 70-77 kroner (EUR 7.0-7.7),“ said a buyer to SalmonBusiness.
This means that there is a historic high price level at the beginning of the year. In the last 30 years, higher January prices have only been registered twice – in 2017 and 2020.
Period
“Up two to four kroner, I think,“ said a trader, and referred to prices from EUR 6.3 to EUR 6.8 kroner for the most traded weight classes.
“We can buy at those prices, because the big ones (farmers – ed .note) have a lot of fish. We have not bought that many truckloads, but we have bought a few. It will probably be a period where the big players have 75 percent of the fish,“ he predicted.
“A price in the mid-60s is not too bad,“ he said, but mentioned the corona as a x factor. “There are lots of variables to consider. We can not predict that, we just have to live with the market.“
