While surimi production in the Alaska pollock fishery is ending the "A" season at a higher level than first feared, a massive COVID spike in US consumption of the product is adding a new twist to global supply dynamics.
Refrigerated packed surimi seafood dollar sales for the 52 weeks through Jan. 24 were at $192.2 million (€160.9 million), a 30 percent increase over the previous year, according to IRI data -- levels the industry hopes to maintain.
Despite the demand pressure, surimi raw material should be readily available this year, due to inshore plants operating with fewer workers and opting to process pollock as surimi over other forms, an executive with vessels serving inshore pollock plants in Alaska told IntraFish.
