Demand for Russian pollock in the Russian market rose sharply last month, coinciding with increasing refusals from international buyers to purchase products from the country in the wake of its invasion of neighboring Ukraine.

According to the preliminary data from Russia’s Pollock Catchers Association (PCA), the primary trade association representing harvesting and processing companies, domestic sales jumped 34 percent in April over the same month last year to reach 167,000 metric tons.

Of that, around 28,000 metric tons, or 16 percent, was fillets, underscoring the industry's shift toward more value-added items.