The salmon price rises by almost 20 percent – in one week.
“The price will be damn high next week,” says an exporter to SalmonBusiness, and presents the following farmgate salmon prices for the coming week: “96-97 kroner (EUR 10-10.1) for 3-4 kg, 98 kroner (EUR 10.2) for 4-5 kg and 100 kroner (EUR 10.4) for 5+ kg.” [factbox]
“We have paid that. I have not been involved in anything like this in my entire life. We have never paid so much before.”
Read also: SalMar about the price of salmon in the coming weeks: “It is now trending up sharply”
Accelerated
He is clear of why prices are so high.
“There is not much fish. We have to be honest about it. There will be low supply for quite some time actually. We will not get a proper increase until we come out in June or July. We have accelerated harvesting because the prices have been high. But we did not think that the prices would be so high – not even we. The price is up to 11 euros delivered in the market. It has never happened before. It’s a little crazy.”
We are approaching Easter, a period of the year when the demand for salmon increases. At the same time, the supply side is still limited.
“It’s an adventure: 100 kroner (EUR 10.4). 101 kroner (EUR 10.5),” says a salmon seller at a fish farming company in Western Norway. “I have sold for:
- 2-3 kg 88 kroner
- 3-4 kg 99 kroner
- 4-5 kg 100 kroner
- 5+ kg 101 kroner
“I hope for even more than this,” he says, and adds that the price is up by nearly 20 percent the last week.
Taste
A number of market participants confirm this price range.
“We are at 100+, but we have not sold anything,” says another fish farmer. “We have customers who say they have offers for just over a hundred kroner; 99, 100, 101.”
The record prices still have an aftertaste:
“I think the most greedy farmer is starting to feel compassion for his customers now. We do not benefit from this. Here, there are businesses who will go under, I’m afraid,” he adds.
