Volatile farmed salmon prices have Norwegian exporters bleeding red
The spot price for salmon dropped significantly over the week resulting in losses for exporters.
"We exporters are bidding on each other to buy salmon from breeders on Fridays, but when we are off to sell the fish further through the week we have to lower the price just to get it out," one exporter said.
He expects prices to remain at about the same level as last Friday, after the market has turned up over the past 24 hours, estimating that the price currently in the south is probably at NOK 47 (€4.60/$5.20) per kilogram for larger fish at 5 to 6 kilos.
Market players appear to be in agreement that the week ahead will result in price declines, but there has been some disagreement about where the prices will end today among exporters, with some claiming that it was too early in the day to tell.
"It's very, very quiet. The market is characterized by Catholic holidays in several major European countries. In addition, perhaps people are on their way home from the fair in Qingdao," an exporter said. He had made no trades for the day yet.
"The prices are huge," he added, citing that there is almost a NOK 5 (€0.49/$0.55) difference between the sales and purchase sides.
"But it is true that the prices have come up from yesterday, and we may end up just about where we were last Friday."
Prices yesterday were down to almost NOK 40 (€3.90/$4.40), according to another exporter who claimed that there was no clear reason.
Here are price expectations for FOB:
| Size | Price per kilogram |
| 2-3 kilos | NOK 44 (€4.30/$4.80) to 45 (€4.40/$4.09) |
| 3-4 kilos | NOK 46 (€4.50/$5.10) |
| 5-6 kilos | NOK 47(€4.60/$5.20) to NOK 49 (€4.80/$5.40) |
| 6 kilos and above | NOK 53 (€5.20/$5.80) to NOK 58 (€5.70/$6.40) |