The large salmon farmers control the harvesting volumes, but are met by lukewarm buying interest.
“We see 86-87 kroner (EUR 8.4-8.5) for 2-3 kg, 98 kroner (EUR 9.6) for 3-4 kg, 102 kroner (EUR 10) for 4-5 kg, 108-110 kroner (EUR 10.6-10.8) for 5-6 kg and 6+ kg is at 115 kroner (EUR 11.3),” says an exporter to SalmonBusiness.[factbox]
That means only minor changes in the salmon price compared to last Friday.
“It will be a little down in the coming weeks, will probably be a little more fish, but not dramatic. The big ones sit on the fish. The exporters have less,” he says.
“The small farmers don’t have much, but increase on 2-4 kg. They harvest fish that would not normally have been harvested, and reduce the risk at these prices. At the same time, there is good growth in both the north and the south [of Norway],” he adds.
Shortage
An image with flat or slightly falling prices is highlighted by several sources.
“Around 10.70 euros for 3-4, 11.10 euros for 4-5, 11.60 euros for 5-6 and 11.80 euros for 6+,” says a buyer on the European continent, referring to prices for fish customs cleared and delivered to the market.
Several sources point to some increasing admissions after many weeks of shortages.
“It is 3-4 kroner (EUR 0.3-0.4) lower than last Friday,” says a buyer. “Pressure on the small fish, he adds, and refers to the following farmgate prices:
- 2-3 kg NOK 85-87 (EUR 8.3-8.5)
- 3-4 kg NOK 95 (EUR 9.3)
- 4-5 kg NOK 98 (EUR 9.6)
- 5-6 kg NOK 102 (EUR 10)
- 6+ kg NOK 110 (EUR 10.8)
Holiday
“Iceland packs a lot of small fish, a lot of ISA (infectious salmon anemia – ed. note), it hits a part of the market. 2-3 falls the most. 3-4 are under pressure,” he says, noting that it Poland and Portugal is having a day off on Thursday, due to Catholic holidays.
This is the sixth week in a row that the price of salmon has been around ten euro per kg.
“Very stable prices, but there is little fish. The price for the big fish, 6+, will hold up well for a long time to come, I’m pretty sure. There is a lot of overseas market there, and then there will be a generational change soon.”
“Customers are insecure and buyers are insecure, the market has not started to move,” says another buyer. He says, however, that there are no major changes in the salmon price.
“The volumes are with the integrated [salmon farmers],” he says, and refers to prices between NOK 95 (EUR 9.3) and 100 (EUR 9.8) for 3-6 kilos of fish.
