Top 5 seafood import articles on the Russian market
For 10 months of 2023, the import of fish products to the Russian market reached 465 thousand tons worth $ 1.9 billion. In weight, imports are 26% higher year-on-year, and in money — by 15%, according to the Analytical Center of the Fish Union. This dynamic is mainly due to the effect of the low base last spring.
At the same time, a comparison of imports over the last three months (August-October) with the same period in 2022 shows a different picture. Thus, imports have not changed in weight, but imported products have depreciated in dollars — their total cost has decreased by 18%.
The import volumes for the last month differ dramatically: in October 2023, 29% less products were imported in weight and 41% less in value (in foreign currency). The reason is the growth of the USD exchange rate, which is gradually transferred to prices on store shelves.
Top 5 types of imported fish products
1. In 2023, frozen mackerel is in the lead (in 2022 it was in the sixth place), which accounts for 9% in the weight of supplies for 10 months and 13% in October. The share of mackerel in USD is also growing: since the beginning of the year it was 4%, in October − 6%. At the same time, the volume of deliveries decreased in every month since August (in 2022 and 2021, the dynamics during this period was exactly the opposite). At the same time, 82% falls on Atlantic mackerel, which is supplied from the Faroe Islands (in 2022, it accounted for only 59% due to supply disruptions). The rest is Pacific mackerel from China, Korea and Ecuador.
2. Surimi is in second place (in 2022 it was in the first place in terms of volume), whose share in deliveries remains stable in weight (9-10% in 2022 and 2023), but decreases in dollar value — from 6-7% in 2022 to 4-5% in 2023. At the same time, in absolute figures, import volumes began to decline in October. Moreover, the price of one kilo of surimi in foreign currency was 30% lower than in 2022.
3. Vannamey shrimps are in the third place (they have dropped by one position compared to 2022). Their share in imports is decreasing: if in general for 10 months their share was 9% in weight (12% in value), then in October it was 7% in weight (10% in value). In 2022, the dynamics was the opposite: the share of shrimp vannamei grew throughout the year, and in October it was 12% in weight and 16% in value. Imported shrimp vannamey also became cheaper in dollars for the first 10 months of 2023 by 13% compared to the same period of 2022 and by 16%, if we compare deliveries in October. Due to the drop in both the volume of imports and the dollar value of imported products, we cannot but conclude that the demand for vannamey shrimp from importers is falling. This may be a sign of a decrease in consumer demand.
4. Salmon is in the fourth place (according to the results of 2022, it received the "bronze"), the share of which in 2023 increased to 7% in weight (from 6% in 2022) and to 13% in value (from 10%). The increase in the share of money occurred despite the fact that the price per 1 kg decreased by 3% if we compare the period from the beginning of 2023 and 2022, and by 15% if we look at the data from the beginning of October to November 9. The growth of its share indicates the steady popularity of this fish among Russians.
5. The fifth place belongs to giant squid (in 2022 it was only in the eighth place). The share of squid in weight has doubled: from 3% in 2022 to 6% in 2023, in money - by 1.5 times, from 2% to 3%. In absolute numbers, deliveries have grown proportionally. Squid in 2023 fell in price in foreign currency, and this is most noticeable when comparing deliveries from the beginning of October − by 20%. This trend is explained by an increase in the share of cheaper (compared to Chinese) squid from Peru: from 57% in weight in 2022 to 77% in weight in 2023.