The company plans to explore export opportunities to nearby markets that prioritize high-quality Japanese seafood.
Japanese trading giant Marubeni Corporation is exploring new export markets for Fuji Atlantic Salmon, Japan’s first land-farmed Atlantic salmon, as the company builds on its April 2022 distribution agreement with land-based producer Proximar Seafood.
While the salmon is primarily distributed to domestic retailers and fishmongers, Marubeni aims to leverage demand in nearby countries that value high-quality Japanese products, the company announced in a press release on Friday.
The salmon, farmed at one of Japan’s largest aquaculture facilities, is produced using Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) technology, which recycles 99.7% of water and reduces CO2 emissions by an estimated 57,000 tons annually through reduced reliance on air transportation. By 2025, production capacity is projected to reach 4,700 tons, increasing to 5,300 tons by 2027, when the facility will be fully operational.
According to Marubeni, the land-based project provides Japan’s aquaculture industry with a sustainable solution to meet rising salmon demand while lowering ecological impacts. The move towards potential export aligns with Proximar and Marubeni’s broader strategy to scale Japan’s RAS operations for premium seafood markets abroad.