The frozen mackerel imported in the year to March was 16,400 tons, a 16% drop in imports from 19,575 tons in 2022, and domestic distribution prices remain stable.

Import unit prices rose as import volumes declined, resulting in an average import unit price of frozen mackerel in March 2024 at USD 2.23/kg, up 5% from USD 2.12/kg through March 2023.

Norway accounted for 89.6% of the total imports, accounting for 14,746 tons, and the average Norwegian import unit price was formed at USD 2.22/kg, up 1% from USD 2.19/kg in the same period in 2023.

The proportion of China was 7.3%(1,153 tons) and the average import price was USD 2.31/kg.

500 tons were imported from the Netherlands and the average import price was formed at USD 2.11/kg.

According to the wholesale price of frozen mackerel from Norway in the second week of April 2024, the price of 300/500 grams was 66,000 Korea won, down 1.49% from the previous month's March, but up 4.7% from 63,000 Korea won in December 2023.

400/600 grams was also 68,000 Korea won, down 1.4% from 67,000 Korea won in March 2024, and 1.4% from December 2023.

Source : Union Forsea Corp.

? The four Spaniards will be joined by a chef from each guest country in this VII edition: Italy, Germany, Portugal and the Benelux region

? The 8 finalists will compete in the Grand Final on October 28 in Madrid

Madrid - The Chef Balfegó international professional gastronomy competition, a world-renowned competition, already has the four Spanish finalists for this new edition. Specifically, the following will compete for the award: Cristóbal Muñoz, from the Ambivium* restaurant (Peñafiel, Valladolid); Lander Cornago, from the Arzak*** restaurant (San Sebastián); Pablo Zuazu, from the Via Veneto* restaurant (Barcelona), and Paula Gutiérrez, from the Taller Arzuaga* restaurant (Quintanilla de Onísimo, Valladolid).

The four chefs have been selected from almost 200 applications by a professional jury made up of chefs and professionals from the sector, who have assessed: originality, technique and treatment of the product, among other aspects of the recipes presented. They will be joined by an Italian chef, another German, another Portuguese and, for the first time, one from Benelux, which includes Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, a region that is participating in the competition for the first time. Unlike the Spaniards, the four internationals will be selected in individual semi-finals in their respective countries of origin, where they must prepare two recipes with Balfegó bluefin tuna and a jury made up of MICHELIN stars from the country will choose the representative. 

Sequentially on sale from April 8th (Monday) at approximately 120 Ito-Yokado and York stores

Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Ryuichi Isaka) is the first company to introduce "Fully farmed yellowtail" (hiramasa-kingfish) from the group's common private brand "Seven Premium Fresh" that has received MEL certification^*1. Starting April 8, 2024 (Monday), it will be released in a total of approximately 120 stores, mainly Ito-Yokado stores nationwide, including some York stores. MEL certification is a certification system for marine products that complies with international standards, and has been obtained by three supermarket companies in the Seven & i Group.

In recent years, the protection of marine resources has become a major issue for the next generation, and there is a need for advancements in aquaculture technology and promotion of responsible aquaculture for the sustainable use of marine resources.

Seven & i Group established the environmental declaration "GREEN CHALLENGE 2050" in 2019 and is promoting sustainable procurement. As part of this effort, Ito-Yokado acquired MEL certification in April 2020, and launched its original brand product ``Fish with a visible face.'' 

*1. MEL certification is a seafood eco-label certification system originating from Japan

Watami expands into the USA with acquisition of local sushi company

Eating out company Watami (Ota-ku, Tokyo, Chairman and President Miki Watanabe) acquires an American sushi processing and wholesale company. On the 8th, the company announced that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Sunny Sushi Company (Sunny Company) in Nevada through two of its consolidated subsidiaries to acquire business assets and a factory.

Sunny Corporation was established in 2002. The company is engaged in sushi processing and wholesale business based in the same state. According to Watami, it has business with about 30 hotels in Las Vegas, Las Vegas, and is a local company that is "a pioneer in expanding sushi..."

The two sides have signed an agreement for the purchase of Sonny Sushi's assets. Watami is to establish two local units that will take on Sonny Sushi's production facilities, brand and employees.

Watami has been accelerating its overseas push. It late 2023, it decided to acquire Singapore's Leader Food in its first acquisition abroad. In the U.S., Watami plans to open a chain of yakiniku barbeque restaurants.

Frozen pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) imported by Korea in the first three months of 2024 was 45,757 tons, down 13% from 52,892 tons in 2023, and a major fish species accounting for 19.38% of Korea's total seafood imports.

Imports of frozen pollock were USD 43.92 million, down 20% from USD 54.68 million in the same period in 2023.

The average unit import price of frozen pollock until March 2024 was set at USD 0.96/kg, 7% lower than USD 1.03/kg in 2023, and country-specific prices were set at 0.96 USD/kg for those of Russian origin, 1.20 USD/kg. kg for those of United States origin and 1.71 USD/kg for those of Chinese origin.

 (*Import volume by year. Total amount until March 2024)

The proportion by country, more than 97% of the total volume is imported from Russia (44,925 tons), and from the United States amd China (817 tons). 

The wholesale distribution price of frozen pollock by size is 41,000 Korea won for No. 7 and 32,000 Korea won for No.8

In the case of number 7, it rose 2.5% from 40,000 Korean won two months ago, 5.1% from December 2023, and in the case of number 8, it rose 3.2% from 31,000 Korean won in February 2024 and, 6.7% from December 2023, four months ago.

Source: Union Forsea Corp.

Biomass more than doubling to over 110 tonnes in Q1 2024

Proximar Seafood AS is announcing its third production update following the successful initiation of production of Atlantic salmon in its Oyama-facility in Japan in October 2022.

At the end of Q1 2024, the Company had a standing biomass of 111.9 metric tonnes, up from 40.7 metric tonnes at the end of Q4 2023.

“We are very pleased to see the continuation of the positive development in our biomass also through the first quarter of 2024, despite the tank-incident that we experienced in February. Throughout the quarter we have seen steady performance and growth across all batches. The water quality remains stable and good, again demonstrated in the growth curves and low natural mortality.  Following the maturation of the biofilters in the start-up phase of the grow-out facility, feeding is back to normal levels and growth rates are picking up according to plan. We remain on track for first harvest in the third quarter this year”, says Joachim Nielsen, CEO of Proximar.

The Company has currently twelve batches in production. The targeted long-term harvest level for Proximar is 5 300 tonnes (HOG) per year in Phase 1.

Please click here for further details. The next production update will come as part of Proximar’s Q1 2024 report, which will be released on 16th May 2024.

He did it with salmon, which he managed to place among the most consumed fresh fish in Spain, and he is on his way to repeating it with cod. With his skrei. As the season is about to end, Norway has partially taken stock of its commercial campaign to discover that in January and February, direct exports of this product to the south of the Pyrenees grew by three digits: 149% in volume and 128% in volume. % in value in interannual rate. That translates into 716 tons and 3.9 million euros, without the season having yet been put to an end, they explain from the Norwegian Seafood Council in Spain.

Source: La Voz de Galicia l Read the full article here

210 tonnes of fresh fish will be flown directly to the Chinese market from Oslo Airport every week.

Last week, the first cargo plane from the freight solutions supplier Hongyuan Group landed at Oslo Airport.

The new route includes a stopover in Astana, Kazakhstan, and is operated by Beijing Capital Airlines using Airbus A330-300 aircraft. It is scheduled to operate three times a week – Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Source: Salmon Business l Read the full article here

“The seafood industry can use technology to streamline processes, saving money and potentially making products more affordable to consumers."

Increased adoption of new technology has joined health, sustainability, the cost-of-living crisis, and other topics on a list of converging trends that are influencing a global seafood market projected to reach USD 605.5 billion (EUR 562.1 billion) in value by 2029, a new report from the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) has found.

Author: Jason Holland / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here

The chief executives of feed giant Nutreco and its aquaculture business, Skretting, have both announced they will be stepping down.

Nutreco CEO Fulco van Lede (pictured, right), will be leaving this summer after leading the company for the past three years. In addition, Therese Log Bergjord (pictured, left), CEO of Skretting for the past seven years, will also be leaving in the summer.

Source: Fish Farmer l Read the full article here