Logistics problems in a tight market.
Exports are in high gear. With a month and a half left until Christmas, there are plenty of fish to move out. But it can still be difficult to get the fish to the customer.
“A lot of logistics problems. It’s not getting better. There we have huge challenges. We have to buy the fish with the proviso that we have logistics. And we need to let customers know that we can be delayed. So there are challenges. It applies to everything. Air cargo. Trains are overturned in Sweden. There is a shortage of trucks. Lack of containers, cardboard packaging and freezer packaging. The entire logistics system is in disarray. There is a shortage of drivers throughout Europe,“ said an exporter to SalmonBusiness.[factbox]
“We fear that this will persist for several months. But now it’s the season, so by the end of the year it will at least last.“
Flat
“The price? It’s not down. It can be up to a krone or two. But we can not buy fish until we have confirmed the transport,“ he said.
“Flat price of 3+ really. We have heard about 53-53.50 kroner (EUR 5.3-5.4) for 3-4 kg and 54.50 kroner (EUR 5.5) for 4+ kg, we have heard. Several have bought at that price.“
After falling spot prices three weeks in a row, there is a certain relief to be found among the fish farmers today.
“It came in the end. We are seeing an upturn today. I do not know how much increase there will be now, but I can say there will be more next week,“ said a farmer. “The only reef in the sea is closure in the Netherlands,“ he added.
He has just confirmed a sale at NOK 54, 55, 57 and 59 (EUR 5.4-5.9) for 3-4, 4-5, 5-6 and 6-7 kilos of salmon respectively.
More to come
“It is 2-3 kroner up. We may be able to get more in an hour, a krone or two, but I’m one hundred percent sure we’ll see the upper half of the 50s before the end of next week.“
There is agreement among all players on such an increase.
“I also hear a few kroner. They were going up 5-7 kroner, but it went wrong. A slight correction up, but the market in Europe is surprisingly weak. Shutdown in the Netherlands. There are enough fish out there,“ said an importer.
Between NOK 50 and 55 kroner (EUR 5.0-5.5) he said about the farmgate price.
“The average is probably 53 kroner (EUR 5.3). 5-6 kg is the highest. That is probably a maximum of 20 cents up. That’s what people are talking about,“ he said. “I think the smokehouses are over their busiest run. I think there will be less production there than usual.“
