New decline today. China stop and negative television programs in Germany and France do not help.
Last Friday saw a price drop of almost one euro/kg. Today does not get any better. But the calendar also shows the end of June, and it is seasonally normal with heavy price drops.[factbox]
Several independent traders confirm a farmgate price of NOK 54-55 (EUR 5.0-5.1), for salmon to be delivered next week. The market is described as hesitant.
Big gap
“It’s tug of war. I don’t think anything is set yet,” said a fish importer to SalmonBusiness.
“I’ve said between 50 and 55 kroner (EUR4.7-5.1). But the integrated say 60 kroner (EUR 5.6). I hear there are many who will not buy fish today. There are some unsold fish, you know. They don’t get rid of it,” he said.
Many exporters have burned their fingers thoroughly over the past two weeks.
“We have to buy cheaper than we have done. Tough market,” said one of them.
“55 kroner (EUR 5.1) on the largest sizes. 50 kroner (EUR 4.7) on 3-4 [kilograms]. We haven’t fixed anything. But it is difficult. Customers refuse [to buy].
Imbalance
“We got an imbalance with China. It stops there completely. There has been some negative focus on German and French television this week. We were taken by surprise,” he continued.
“There are ten kroner in losses [per kilogram] this week. It is a million [kroner] or two. We can’t have that many weeks during the year. The exporters are not very willing to buy today. We can’t have it that way – exporters lose ten kroner a kilo, while fish farmer earn 30 kroner.”
