Difficulties with both road and rail are tightening the supply of fish.
“There have been train problems this week. That has meant less fish has reached the market, and it has pushed the price up a couple of kroner,” an exporter told SalmonBusiness.
“It depends on how much fish has been able to get through. There is a shortage of transport at the moment. We are completely dependent on the trains running.”
Out of service
The train problems he refers to are linked to the landslide at Levanger, where both the railway and the E6 highway were closed, as well as a slide near Narvik, meaning both southbound rail lines have been out of service. At the same time, truck availability has been limited for several weeks due to unusually high export volumes.
“Here there are knock-on effects. The price has risen on fish that has managed to get through. It is a very unclear situation. It is a fine balance right now. Today is difficult, we have to be honest about that,” he said.
The price range he sees, to the farmer, is:
NOK 62–63 ($6.14–$6.23 / €5.27–€5.36) for 3–4 kg
NOK 65 ($6.44 / €5.53) for 4–5 kg
NOK 68 ($6.73 / €5.78) for 5–6 kg
NOK 70 ($6.93 / €5.95) for 6–7 kg
Machinery
Several other sources confirm a clear rise in salmon prices.
“At the moment it’s up 2–3 kroner. NOK 63, 65 and 68 ($6.23, $6.44, $6.73 / €5.36, €5.53, €5.78) on 3–6,” a buyer told SalmonBusiness.
“The driver is that the machinery in Europe is starting to roll. The problem is logistics. The bottleneck can burst. Suddenly more fish can hit the market. Fish that has been standing at the slaughterhouse for two or three days loses value by the minute,” he pointed out.
“From our side we see more volume next week, which makes us fear a recoil. There could be a storm coming. We are buying our fixed contracts, and not taking anything extra. And at these prices now, there are not many freezing. And if it goes above this, nobody will freeze,” he concluded.
Bottleneck
All sources SalmonBusiness spoke to after lunch on Friday reported rising prices.
“Yes, it’s roughly at that level. This week has gone fine, and most people were probably sold out relatively early,” said an exporter.
Others see slightly lower prices, but still an increase:
“There is a lot of fish on the way in. It’s like a cork that has come loose. Major logistics problems,” said a trader.
