Norway has exported 8,690 tonnes of fresh salmon to China in the first quarter of 2018, and that places the Chinese ahead of Germany as the Nordic country’s eight-largest export market for salmon.
While the Chinese market grows apace, the Germans thus far this year have bided their time. While Chinese import levels of Norwegian salmon were low, Statistics Norway numbers show they’re now up 64.3 percent over the same three-month period a year ago.
Growth potential
Should significant trade hindrances like fish health concerns persist, then the potential for further market growth of Norway-to-China salmon ought to remain in place.
The sales price of Atlantic salmon has climbed high throughout the quarter, but that hasn’t frightened the Chinese. All through Easter week, Chinese fish importers traded for 450 tonnes of Norwegian salmon at an average price of EUR 8.13.
Asian dominance
When it comes to air-freighted salmon to overseas markets, China is already a 43-percent larger customer than the US, Norway’s second-largest buyer. That doesn’t include export volumes dropped off in Vietnam.
Through the first 13 weeks of 2018, Norway has exported 281,034 t of salmon, up 5.6 percent over last year.
