Tax shock gave the highest willingness to pay among the smaller companies.
None of the large or medium-sized farming companies took part in yesterday’s MAB auction under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries. That explains the low auction prices that were achieved.
Read also: The Norwegian salmon auction is over – these prices were achieved
“We can no longer defend such investments with the tax model that is on the table,” Mowi CEO Ivan Vindheim stated in an email to E24 .
“We also note that far from all the concessions were sold, and that a large part of the concessions that were sold fall outside the ground rent model,” Vindheim said.
In the absence of the large industrial companies, several smaller players struck. Several of them do not already have their own food fish production.
Among the newcomers is Prophylaxia, controlled by Atlantic Sapphire founders Bjørn-Vegard Løvik and Johan E. Andreassen. Prophylaxia, based in Vikebukt in Romsdal, secured 1,538 tonnes, for NOK 241.9 million (€24.2 million).
Organic Seafarm bought 1,755 tonnes, for NOK 325 million (€32.5 million). Organic Seafarm is wholly owned by Arctic Seafood Group, which is 60 percent owned by Morpol founder Jerzy Malek.
Bewi Invest, the parent company of the packaging company BEWI, bought 918 tonnes for NOK 143.8 million (€14.4 million).
Aquanorth Farm bought 200 tonnes for NOK 20 million (€2 million). Aquanorth Farm is owned by Nytt Foretak AS, which in turn is owned by Sonic Invest, in which Kristian Brekke Djuve owns all the shares.
Frøy Kapital, controlled by salmon veteran Helge Gåsø, bought 2,265 tonnes, with a price tag of NOK 377.3 million (€37.7 million).
The fry producer Grundvågen in Smøla also bought in the auction. Grundvågen secured four tonnes, at a price of NOK 629,200 (€62,920)
