At the beginning of July 2013, the catch of Pacific salmon in the Far East fishery basin had reached 11,000 tonnes, 2,000 tonnes more than in the year 2011. Around 10,400 tonnes was registered in Kamchatsky Krai, the main fishing area, according to the Globefish Highlights Quarterly Update, written by Audun Lem, Paola Sabatini and Karine Boisset.
The Asian market is the main destination for exports of wild salmon species from Russia. Between January and April, exports of frozen Pacific salmon to China amounted to over 17,000 tonnes (104 per cent increase compared with January-April 2012). The average export price went down by 16 per cent to $1.9 per kg.
Growth in the Aquaculture Sector
Production of farmed Atlantic salmon from the national aquaculture sector in the Murmansk region is increasing. The major players in this sector are Russian Salmon and the Russian Sea Group. Created in 2005, Russian Salmon was the first company in Russia to engage in industrial farming of Atlantic salmon in the Bays of Pechenga and Ambarnaya in the Barents Sea. In 2011, the company’s production of farmed salmon was 8,500 tonnes and by the end of this year, this figure is expected to increase to 21,000 tonnes.
The Russian Sea Group is ready to launch its second salmon farm in June 2013 on Shalim site in Ura Bay, Barents Sea, where around 1.6 million of smolts of Atlantic salmon are expected to be put into the water. The first salmon harvest is planned for 2014 and sales are expected of more than 3,000 tonnes. In addition, two more new sites will follow in 2014.
The national production of farmed Atlantic salmon is entirely targeted at the domestic market for partial substitution of imported Atlantic salmon.
Norwegian Salmon Imports Declining
Historically, Norway has been the largest supplier of Atlantic salmon to the Russian market. In the first five months of 2013, Norway exported 42,179 tonnes of Atlantic salmon to Russia. This is 19 per cent less in terms of volume compared with the same period in the past year, while the export value increased by 11 per cent.
About 95 per cent of the volume is made up of fresh and chilled salmon. The average export price of Norwegian salmon to Russia went up by 37 per cent reaching €4.8 (NOK 37.32) per kg compared with €3.5 (NOK 27.25) per kg in the previous year.
In May 2013, Norwegian exports of salmon to the Russian market went down by 12 per cent reaching 7,833 tonnes compared with the same period last year. At the same time, the value of the exports grew by 24 per cent as a result of the increased export price per kg by 41 per cent.
On the domestic market in Moscow in mid-July, the price of Atlantic salmon from Norway is still high
as a result of a shortage of supply from Norway while demand from Russia has increased. The main
reasons for the lack of deliveries of salmon are the closure of several plants for technical reasons and also because of fish diseases.
On the wholesale market in Moscow the prices for Atlantic salmon 4-5, 5-6 of Norwegian origin range from RUB 330 (€7.67) to RUB 340 (€7.9) per kg, while the prices for Atlantic salmon 6-7 are in the range of RUB 340 (€7.9) to RUB 345 (€8) per kg. Prices are likely to increase for all sizes.
