What were the top ten seafood exports from Norway for 2023?
In a striking testament to its global popularity and demand, salmon has overwhelmingly dominated Norway’s seafood exports in 2023.
The export value of salmon reached a staggering NOK 122.5 billion ($12 billion), a significant 16% increase from the previous year, according to recent data from the Norwegian seafood council.
This figure vastly surpasses the export values of other seafood species, highlighting salmon’s unrivaled position in Norway’s seafood export portfolio.
- Salmon: $11.8 billion (+16%)
- Cod: $1.2 billion (+0%)
- Mackerel: $600 million (+7%)
- Trout: $500 million (+10%)
- Herring: $400 million (+3%)
- Saithe: $400 million (+9%)
- Haddock: $200 million (-14%)
- Prawn: $100 million (+8%)
- King crab: $100 million (+43%)
- Blue halibut: $100 million (+16%)
To put it in perspective, the export value of salmon is more than ten times that of its nearest competitor, cod, which held steady at NOK 12.2 billion. Other notable species like mackerel, trout, and herring trailed even further behind, with values of NOK 6.7 billion, NOK 5.5 billion, and NOK 4 billion, respectively.
The remarkable lead of salmon in the export market can be attributed to several factors. Its widespread popularity across diverse global markets, from Europe to Asia and North America, combined with its perceived health benefits, makes salmon a highly sought-after commodity. Moreover, Norway’s reputation for producing high-quality, sustainably farmed salmon has further bolstered its demand.
Despite impressive growth rates observed in other species like king crab, which saw a 43% increase in export value, and blue halibut, with a 16% rise, their overall contributions to Norway’s seafood exports pale in comparison to that of salmon.
The dominance of salmon in Norway’s seafood exports underlines the species’ significant economic impact on the country’s aquaculture industry. It also reflects the evolving trends in global seafood consumption, where preferences for premium, sustainable, and health-oriented food choices continue to drive market dynamics.
“2023 was the best value year ever for Norwegian seafood exports. Seafood is still one of Norway’s most sought-after global trade goods and has firmly established itself as the country’s second-largest export product, behind oil and gas”, said Christian Chramer, Managing Director of the Norwegian Seafood Council.
