Last year's Japanese surimi inventories of some 58,000 metric tons, were the lowest they've been since 1999, driving up prices near all-time highs, but neither seems to be curbing demand, according to Nippon Suisan Kaisha's (Nissui) Takashi Matsumoto.
Matsumoto's presentation released at the 14th Surimi Forum in Astoria, Oregon, last week, detailed how a weaker Yen, lower import volumes and decreasing Japanese production have all led to the limited market and "intense" price competition.
Coldwater surimi production is expected to increase greatly over the next five years, following a massive price spike in tropical surimi due to the 8.9
