Norwegian salmon comes forward as main newsmaker on Russia's freshfrozen fish market

As per the third week of May 2009 freshfrozen seafood market in Moscow has been showing mixed price trends and many important changes have been observed, analysts of www.fishnet-russia.com (www.fishnet.ru) concluded after analyzing the current situation on the market.

More specifically, in the week under analysis there was a dramatic rise of export prices for Norwegian salmon. On the 19th week of the year the prices reportedly grew by 11.2% to NOK34.81 per kilo, while in the 21st week the prices jumped to NOK40.00 per kilo, which is a record high result since the beginning of the year 2009.

The rise has resulted into the respective increases on the Russian market. For example, some large importers have increased the price of Norwegian salmon (superior quality) by up to 20% with the prices as per the third week of May 2009 quoted as follows: from RUB275.00 per kilo of the size 4-5 kilos, from RUR285 per kilo of the size 5-6 kilos, from RUR285.00-290.00 per kilo of the size 6-7, from RUR285.00-295.00 per kilo of the size 7-8, from RUR295.00 per kilo of the size 8-9 and from RUR240.00 per kilo of the size 9+.

On the other hand, though the total volume of the Chilean export of Norwegian frozen trout to all the destinations grew by 12% to 8400 tonnes, the total result for the first quarter of the year was 13% down on last year and amounted to 19700 tonnes. There was a drastic decrease of trout export to Russia as in January-March 2009 its export volume amounted to only ca.800 tonnes, 80% down on the volume of shipments in the first quarter of the year 2008 and in March 2009 the traders exported only ca.300 tonnes.

The Chinese import of salmon (less sockeye) of the Russian origin in the first quarter of the year 2009 amounted to ca.31600 tonnes, thus displaying a 17-fold rise on last year. The average import price CIF terms through the quarter remained at 1.60 USD per kilo, but in March 2009 it was more than 1.00 USD per kilo higher.

In March 2009 the US export of frozen hake continued to slow down, which could be attributed to gradual exhaustion of coldstore inventories from the fishing season 2008 which finished very late. Shipments of frozen hake to Russia were not recorded with the country being one of the main destinations of the US hake export in 2008 and in the previous years. The total shipments of frozen hake to Russia in the first quarter of the year amounted to only ca.130 tonnes (nearly exclusively headed and gutted products), that is 72.5% down on last year while the total volume of the US shipments of frozen hake to all the destinations went down by 16% only.

In the third week of May 2009 the Russian veterinary office released lists of foreign seafood producers approved for export to Russia from such countries as Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Turkey, Estonia as well as additional lists for such countries as Canada, Thailand and Japan.

Russia's Federal Fisheries Agency has launched implementation of its program aimed at boosting the Russian seafood consumption. In Moscow outdoor advertising panels have sprung up urging the population to eat more seafood, the campaign to involve Saint Petersburg and Vladivostok soon. All in all the capital will see a thousand of billboards and other social ad media. The large scale advertising campaign will cover ca.50 Russian cities.

In general, as per the third week of May 2009 the market has been showing mixed price trends for finfish and other than non-finfish products. In particular, prices have dramatically increased for Atlantic salmon and there have been indications of a price rise for imported trout as well as for squid harvested in the Russian Far East. Along with the above, herring 300+ and 350+ has also got appreciated.

In the meantime, prices for blue whiting, capelin and pollock have continued falling.