Slower days, stable prices

by
Aslak Berge

Prices appear to be settling down below 5.5 euro.

“We had a good start to the week based on the prices we paid last Friday, but we noticed a weakening on Wednesday of 1 (kilogram fish) to 4 and 6 (kg fish). The overseas market took a lot of large fish at, surprisingly, the start of the week, but they had clearly bought themselves up early. The prices for big fish have come down quite a bit,” an exporter told SalmonBusiness.

“The supply isn’t especially great, but the demand suits the supply,” he said, adding that there’s probably a fear of imbalance on the supply side.

Stable
That means stable prices with certain negative undertones.

“For now, stable. A little down for fish below 3 kilo and down a lot on fish over 6 kilo in relation to the top range earlier.

“When the air-delivered market has its share, big fish have to go to the European market, and then the eagerness to put a big price on big fish just isn’t there. Then it’s more like the price for 4-plus (kg fish). The industry generally prefers a lower price on the 6-plus (kg fish), since their take is lower than on the traditional industry size of 4-6 (kg’ers),” he said, adding that they’ve seen little business today.

Want more
The general market view of laterally moving prices is shared by others.

“We have a week of higher prices behind us. And the salmon-farmers want a better price, but the market isn’t quite going along. As far as I see, nothing’s settled. I believe the day will be good and long, before they settle prices,” the buyer for a salmon smoker said.

“Often, when you see this type of picture, it ends up stable. You see the same prices in a week’s time. But, we’ll see.”

Tar tid
Five different market sources traced the following salmon prices (to salmon farmers) for next week:

2-3 kg EUR 4.40 to 4.70
3-4 kg EUR 5.25 to 5.65
4-5 kg EUR 5.35 to 5.65
5-plus kg EUR 5.45 to 5.65

“It’s gone pretty well. But, things are taking long today. Week No. 2 is a difficult week. Some try for 52 kroner (EUR 5.35) for 3 to 4 (kg fish) and rising up a krone to 55 kroner on 6-plus’ers (EUR 5.65). But, I don’t think that’ll be the price set today,” said a relaxed exporter not in a hurry to land the day’s first shipment.

More relaxed
Some believe in a weaker fall in prices.

“It’s going down now. It looked like it was going to be stable, but there’s a lot of big fish left. The air-delivered market hasn’t been as spry. The market is a little more relaxed now,” a trader said, adding, “But, let’s be clear about prices being better now than in December. Customers have what they need for the New Year, and they’re calming right down.”

Newsletter

Related Articles