Photo: Norwegian Seafood Council

Norwegian Salmon and Trout Conquer Global Markets Amidst Shifting Tides

NORWAY
Friday, July 04, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

Record export values for salmon, driven by booming demand in China, and a significant surge in trout exports highlight Norway's continued dominance in the international seafood trade, even as market dynamics evolve in key regions like the US and Poland.

OSLO – Norway's salmon and trout industries are celebrating a stellar first half of 2025, with export values reaching unprecedented heights. This impressive performance underscores the nation's pivotal role in supplying high-quality seafood to diverse international markets, adapting to both surging demand and competitive shifts.

Salmon: Riding the Wave of Global Demand

In the first half of the year, Norway exported 609,946 tonnes of salmon, valued at a remarkable $5.43 billion USD. This represents a 3% increase in value (approximately $150 million USD) and a 22% rise in volume compared to the same period last year.

While Poland, the USA, and France remained the largest overall markets for Norwegian salmon, China emerged as the undeniable powerhouse of growth. "China had the highest value growth in the first half of the year, with an increase in export value of NOK 1,494 million, or 62%, compared with the first half of last year," stated Paul T. Aandahl, seafood analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Council. "The export volume to China ended at 42,224 tonnes, which is 122% higher than in the first half of last year."

This phenomenal growth continued into June, with China once again leading as the largest growth market for Norwegian salmon, seeing an 84% increase (approximately $30.1 million USD) in that month alone. Sigmund Bjørgo, Norway's seafood envoy to China, attributed this surge to a blend of traditional and innovative sales channels. "It's the sum of new and different sales channels that are contributing to the massive growth of salmon to China," Bjørgo explained. "Promotion and sales are taking place in online channels and on social media, with TikTok in particular dominating. At the same time, this is spilling over into the traditional sales channels, creating hybrid variants with online shops and restaurants in one, selling to passers-by, visitors sitting down, and via delivery apps."

Despite this impressive surge, China currently ranks as Norway's sixth-largest salmon market by value for the year, trailing Poland, the USA, France, Spain, and the Netherlands.

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Meanwhile, Poland retains its position as Norway's largest salmon market, though it saw zero value growth compared to the first half of last year. "Inventory reductions in the first four months of the year characterized direct exports, but strong May and June performance brought the value back to last year's level," Aandahl noted.

The USA market presented a mixed picture. "Exports to the USA increased strongly in the first five months of the year, but the trend reversed in June, with a fall of 10% in value," Aandahl commented. "This development must be seen in the light of global demand, a tough competitive situation, and the availability of fish of the right size."

Looking specifically at June, Norway exported 110,000 tonnes of salmon worth approximately $864 million USD, marking a 5% increase (approximately $40.2 million USD) in value and a 19% rise in volume compared to June last year.

Trout's Remarkable Ascent

Norwegian trout also experienced a period of remarkable growth. In the first half of 2025, Norway exported 39,505 tonnes of trout, valued at approximately $329 million USD. This represents a substantial 20% increase in value (approximately $54.4 million USD) and an impressive 34% growth in volume compared to the first half of last year.

Ukraine, the USA, and Thailand were the largest markets for Norwegian trout during this period. However, Poland showcased the most significant growth. "Poland had the highest value growth in the first half of the year, with an increase in export value of US$ 14,5 million, or 150%, compared with the first half of last year," Aandahl highlighted. "The export volume to Poland ended at 3,239 tonnes, which is 157% higher than in the first half of last year. The trout is largely processed for export." He further added, "So far this year, the biggest growth from Poland is fresh fillets destined for the German market."

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In June alone, Norway exported 6,800 tonnes of trout with a value of approximately $51.6 million USD. This marked an 11% increase (approximately $5.1 million USD) in value and a 9% growth in volume compared to June last year, maintaining the positive trajectory for this versatile species.

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