Global herring and mackerel markets appear to have experienced mixed fortunes during the past year, affected by fluctuating currencies, drops in landing quota reflected in unit value, and a major market (Russia) imposing a temporary ban on imports.

The volume of Japanese frozen herring imports increased by +32% to 33610 tonnes between Jan-Sep 2007 and the same period in 2008. The total value of these imports grew by +24% to Yen 5.2 million.

Imports from the Russian Federation grew the most in percentage terms, increasing +72% in volume to 7557 tonnes, with a larger +97% growth in value to Yen 1 million.

The main country of origin for Japanese frozen herring imports is the USA, from where imports increased in volume by +34% to 21397 tonnes in 2008 and by +20% in value to Yen 3.7million.

Imports from Norway remained roughly static in 2008, decreasing by just -13 tonnes to 3856 tonnes, while those from the Netherlands increased by +11 tonnes to 670MT. In contrast, imports from Canada decreased substantially.

Dutch herring exports fell by -27% to 70048 tonnes between Jan-Sep 2007 and Jan-Sep 2008, mainly due to a reduction in quota share.

The major recipient was Nigeria, which received 60960 tonnes in 2007, or 63% of all exports for that year. This market received -31% less in 2008, but still accounted for 60% of all Dutch herring exports. This reduction accounts for 70% of the overall reduction in Dutch herring exports during the period.

Exports to Egypt grew +37% from 8337 tonnes in 2007 to 11399 tonnes, and represented a 16% share of all exports in 2008.

There was a significant drop of -92% in exports to Malta, which only received 707 tonnes in 2008. Malta received 9% of exports in 2007, but the reduced volume saw this drop to just 1% in 2008.

Exports to China increased by +7% to 5231 tonnes in 2008, and constituted 7% of all exports, up 2% on the previous year.

German Herring imports grew in volume between January and September 2007-2008 by +19% to 105857 tonnes, with the value of the import increasing by +10% to €126 million.

44% of the overall growth came from a significant increase in imports of fresh herring to 22865 tonnes. The major supplier of fresh herring was Denmark, which provided 19663 tonnes in 2008, an +81% increase on the 2007 volume.

The highest average unit value across both periods came from imports from France in 2007 at €4.26/kg.

The largest German herring import sector is for prepared and preserved product, of which 36327 tonnes was imported in 2008 - a small +2% increase on the 2007 level. In spite of the increase in volume, the value fell -2% to €66.million, and accounted for 53% of the value of all herring imports in 2008. Importantly, 87% of the prepared and preserved imports were sourced from Poland in 2008.

Although a small sector, imports of salted and brined herring increased by +16% to 1535 tonnes, with the value increasing by +21% to €3.6 million.

The market share for frozen herring remained roughly static in both periods at around 7.5%, although the total volume grew to 4507 tonnes in 2008. Roughly half of this originated from Norway in 2008, which experienced a considerable drop in unit value of -85% to €0.85/kg.

This table shows that total French imports of herring fell by -3% to 6619 tonnes in the period January 2007 – October 2008. Frozen fillets accounted for 83% of all imports in 2007, but the volume fell -13% to 4932 tonnes in 2008. This fall was accompanied a +11% increase in the average unit value to €1.05/kg.

There was a shift in the country of origin for frozen herring fillet imports with Iceland supplying 56% of the volume in 2008, compared with 22% in 2007. This was a +126% increase in volume for Icelandic exports to France, which amounted to 2782T. The unit value of the Icelandic import increased +10% to €1.03/kg, pushing the overall value up by +148% to €2.9 million. The increase in Icelandic imports was offset by a -32% reduction in product from Norway, which fell to 1497 tonnes.

French imports of frozen herring fillets from the Netherlands fell by -64% over the period to just 98 tonnes, accompanied by a reduction in the average unit value to €1.01/kg - the lowest in this segment.

In the frozen category, there was +91% increase in the volume of imports to 1537 tonnes, with the overall value increasing to €1.2 million over the period. The most significant increase came from imports from the Netherlands, which increased by +109% to 478 tonnes.
 

Report prepared by Nicki Holmyard (EUROFISH)