Photo: Norwegian Seafood Council/FIS

Global market trends for Norwegian crab and cold-water prawns

NORWAY
Friday, December 06, 2024, 01:00 (GMT + 9)

Demanding month for king crab

• Norway exported 89 tonnes of king crab worth NOK 49 million in November
• The value fell by NOK 51 million, or 51 percent, compared to the same month last year.
• The volume fell by 57 percent
• The USA, Italy and Denmark were the biggest markets for king crab in November

"We are approaching the end of the quota year for king crab, a challenging year with a quota cut of 57 percent compared to 2023. This has had an impact on the export of king crab, month after month", says Josefine Voraa, responsible for shellfish at the Norwegian Seafood Council.

In November there was also a drop in exports. The largest decrease was in the export of live king crab. It ended at 42 tonnes, which is a decrease of 97 tonnes, or 70 per cent, compared to November last year.

Decline to the United States

It is the lowest export volume in a November month since live king crab received its own item number in 2017.

"Exports of frozen king crab did not have as large a drop and ended at 47 tons in November, a decrease of 33 percent or 24 tons", says Voraa.

Click on the image to enlarge

Exports to the USA, which is the largest market for Norwegian king crab, fell by 56 per cent in value and 62 per cent in volume in November.

Italy is the second largest market, in November it was also the market with the largest increase in value, with an increase in export value of NOK 3 million, or 85 per cent, compared to the same month last year.

The export volume to Italy ended at 10 tonnes, which is 43 per cent higher than the same month last year.

Volume growth for snow crab

• Norway exported 7 tonnes of snow crab worth NOK 988,000 in November
• The value was unchanged from the same month last year
• This is a growth in volume of 124 per cent
• China and the Netherlands were the biggest markets for snow crab in November

Photo: Norwegian Seafood Council

Another strong month for shrimp

• Norway exported 2,566 tonnes of prawns worth NOK 144 million in November
• The value increased by NOK 41 million, or 40 per cent, compared to the same month last year
• There is a growth in volume of 39 percent
• The UK, Sweden and Denmark were the biggest markets for prawns in November

Processed prawns, or peeled prawns, make up over 67 per cent of the export value in November, with NOK 97 million.

"Peeled prawns were also the product with the greatest increase in value in November, with an increase of 39 per cent compared to November last year. The growth is primarily due to increased export volumes to Denmark and Great Britain. In Sweden, there was a decrease of 22 per cent in November", says Josefine Voraa, responsible for shellfish at Norway's Seafood Council.

Greatest growth to China

Cooked, frozen shelled shrimp also experienced strong growth this month, with an increase in export value of NOK 19 million, or 242 percent, compared to November last year.

"The increase in value comes as a result of an increased supply of cooked, frozen shell prawns. Over half of the export volume of frozen shell prawns ended up in the Chinese market in November", explains Voraa.

China was the market with the greatest growth in volume and value, with an export of 430 tonnes, worth NOK 12 million, compared to nothing last year.

So far this year, there has been strong shrimp fishing in the Barents Sea with increased landings. This has resulted in the export statistics.

"From January to November this year, close to 33,000 tonnes of prawns have been exported to a value of NOK 1.5 billion. We have to go back to the year 2000 to find a year with a higher export volume", says Josefine Voraa.

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