Ivan Vindheim, CEO of Mowi, the world's largest producer of farmed salmon, appeared on US news network CNN on Wednesday to attack the Norwegian government's plans for a tax on salmon farmers.
The tax is now in effect and will be applied to production volumes above 4,000 metric tons, but the final decision on the amount of the tax may not be made by the Norwegian Parliament until the summer.
"This tax level is unprecedented, and if it's put in action, it would impose major limitations to future investments and the development of this fantastic industry, said Vindheim.
"It would be devastating," he told CNN Reporter Eleni Giokos.
Highlighting Mowi's strong results for 2022, which saw the company's earnings passing the €1 billion ($1.1 billion) mark for the first time, Giokos asked the executive what level of tax he thought the company could bear.
"We already pay between 40 and 50 percent in taxes. It's not that we are not paying taxes. There's no private industry in Norway that pays the kind of taxes that we do," said Vindheim.
"But we also need some money left to continue to invest with."
Ending the interview on a more upbeat note, Vindheim said he believes the politicians will eventually be forced to change the tax.
"I am positive in the long term. We just need some time to convince the politicians," he said.
