Farmed cod exports outstripping wild caught fish

The latest figures from the Norwegian Seafood Council show that the value of farmed cod exports last month increased by 8% to NOK 92m (£7.3m)  - and much of it going to the UK. The volume was 1,204 metric tons last month.

Cod farming is now one of the fastest  growing aquaculture activities in Norway with companies expanding and new sites opening up.

According to Seafood Council analyst Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, this is the ninth time in recent times that farmed cod have overtaken trawler-caught fresh cod and the first time it has happened in the month of May.

He said: “With prospects for increased volumes in the coming months, we expect farmed cod to continue to be the largest [in the cod sector] throughout the year.

“As usual, transit and processing markets dominate among the destination countries. From Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland, the cod goes on to our most important consumer markets, mainly in the EU and the UK,” Brækkan added.

Meanwhile, farmed trout exports continue to see-saw. Some 6,484 metric tons of trout worth NOK 540m (£43m) were exported last month.

The value fell by 8% or NOK 47m (£3.7m) on a year ago while the volume was down by 11%.. The United States, Poland and Ukraine continue to be the main markets for trout.

The export volume to Poland ended at 910 tons, which is 50% higher than the same month last year.