China’s seafood market is showing mixed trends, with strong demand for salmon but weaker interest in cod.
Norwegian salmon exports increased in week 12, with 18,383 metric tonnes of fresh whole Atlantic salmon exported, according to data from the Norwegian Seafood Council, according to numbers from the Norwegian Seafood Council.
Exports have now risen for a second consecutive week, supported by demand from both Europe and Asia, according to Undercurrent News.
At the same time, Chinese buyers are holding back on purchases of Norwegian cod, with prices continuing to fall and competition from Russian whitefish narrowing the price gap, Undercurrent New also reported.
China expands domestic “salmon” production
Meanwhile, China is expanding domestic production of “salmon”. Farming of rainbow trout – marketed locally as salmon – is growing in the Xinjiang region, where large-scale production began in 2021, according to the South China Morning Post.
Production in the region is estimated to exceed 10,000 tonnes, with further growth expected as more farmers enter the sector, the report said.
China imports more than 100,000 tonnes of salmon annually, mainly from Norway and Chile, but domestic production is increasing alongside rising demand.
