Norway's salmon exports to China up 67 pct in 1H by volume

Photo taken on July 5, 2023 shows salmon and other seafood products for sale at a supermarket in Oslo, capital of Norway. (Photo by Chen Yaqin/Xinhua)

OSLO, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Norway exported 23,500 metric tonnes of salmon to China in the first half of this year, an increase of 67 percent compared to the same period of last year, according to the figures issued by the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) on Wednesday.

The value of these exported salmon reached 2.91 billion Norwegian kroner (274 million U.S. dollars), up 95 percent from the same period of last year.

The NSC said that China continues to be the largest export market for Norwegian seafood in Asia. In addition to salmon, China also imports large quantities of other seafood products from Norway, including cod, trout and mackerel.

In the first half of this year, China imported 69,700 metric tonnes of various seafood products from Norway, with a value of 4.3 billion Norwegian kroner.

The NSC said that Asian countries, among them China, are important markets for Norway's seafood exports and the Nordic country will beef up its efforts to promote its seafood products to more consumers in Asia.

In the first half of this year, Norway exported 82.3 billion Norwegian kroner worth of seafood, an increase of 12.3 billion Norwegian kroner, or 18 percent, compared to the first half of last year.

Christian Chramer, the NSC's chief executive officer (CEO), said that "In terms of value, Norway's seafood exports have never had a stronger first half of the year. The combination of a weak Norwegian krone and high global food inflation has resulted in a sharp rise in prices for our most important seafood species."

Norway's Fisheries and Ocean Policy Minister Bjornar Skjaeran also noted that the export figures emphasize the currency's impact rather than volume, with the weak Norwegian krone playing a significant role in driving the industry's growth during the past six months.

"The export figures emphasize that seafood from Norway is a sought-after product around the world. At the same time, it is important to be aware that it is currency and not volume that has been the major driver these last six months.

"The government is therefore keen to facilitate more activity and increased value creation along the entire coastline," he said. 

Photo taken on July 5, 2023 shows salmon and other seafood products for sale at a supermarket in Oslo, capital of Norway. (Photo by Chen Yaqin/Xinhua)

Photo taken on July 5, 2023 shows salmon and other seafood products for sale at a supermarket in Oslo, capital of Norway. (Photo by Chen Yaqin/Xinhua)