Norwegian, Chilean, Faroese, Canadian and Australian companies on the list.
Mowi is still the undisputed largest salmon farmer in the world. With 422,400 tonnes of salmon, the company harvested more than double number two on the list, Lerøy Seafood Group. With the next four, SalMar and Cermaq, the top five consists solely of Norwegian companies. Although Cermaq is Japanese-owned, by the conglomerate Mitsubishi, the company still has its headquarters in Norway.
Changes
The ranking for 2019, prepared by iLaks and SalmonBusiness, shows that there have not been major changes at the top in recent years.
The largest movement was by the merger of AquaChile and Los Fiordos, currently in fifth place, and Bakkafrost’s acquisition of The Scottish Salmon Company, which sent the Faroese past another fast growing company Grieg Seafood.
Cooke Aquaculture keeps its 6th position. Although the company also has activity in Chile and Scotland, it has struggled to grow on its home turf in Eastern Canada, in recent years.
Exotic
Four Chileans follow; Multiexport, Blumar, Salmones Camanchaca and Australis Seafoods, before being disposed of by three Norwegian; Nova Sea, Alsaker Fjordbruk and Nordlaks.
Tassal Group, from exotic Tasmania, is the only Australian salmon farmer on the list. Neighbour Huon Aquaculture just didn’t make the top 20, nor did the fast-growing Russian Aquaculture, but both are wading in the waters just below.
The list is rounded off with three Norwegian players, Sinkaberg-Hansen, Bremnes Seashore and NRS, ahead of Chile’s Salmones Antarctica.
In a relatively consolidated industry, these 20 companies accounted for a total harvest quantity of 1,867,000 tonnes of atlantic salmon, trout and coho in 2019.
