Photo: Union Forsea Corp.

South Korea’s Frozen Pollock Imports Plunge 30% in April, but Prices Edge U

SOUTH KOREA
Monday, May 12, 2025, 05:00 (GMT + 9)

SEOUL — South Korea’s imports of frozen pollock saw a sharp year-on-year decline in April 2025, dropping 30% to 11,249 metric tons, compared to 16,127 tons imported in the same month last year, according to trade data released by Union Forsea Corp.

The downward trend was also evident in the cumulative figures for the first four months of the year. From January to April 2025, South Korea imported a total of 53,967 tons, down 13% from 61,893 tons during the same period in 2024. Despite the decrease in volume, frozen pollock remained a key species in the national seafood supply, accounting for approximately 17% of South Korea’s total seafood imports of 317,790 tons during the period.

Russia Maintains Market Dominance

Russia continued to dominate South Korea’s frozen pollock supply, shipping 53,442 tons, which accounted for 99% of total imports. The United States followed distantly with 481 tons, while China contributed just 44 tons.

Import Prices Reflect Regional Gaps

Price disparities between exporting countries were significant:

• Russia: USD 1.04/kg

• USA: USD 1.59/kg

• China: USD 1.91/kg

The weighted average import price rose from USD 0.96/kg in 2024 to USD 1.05/kg in 2025, reflecting a 9% increase, despite the decline in volume.

Import Value Also Declines

In monetary terms, frozen pollock imports were valued at USD 11.91 million in April 2025, down 23% from USD 15.49 million a year earlier. Cumulative value from January to April totaled USD 56.65 million, a 5% drop compared to the same period in 2024.

Industry Outlook

While the drop in import volumes could raise concerns among processors and retailers, industry experts note that rising per-kilogram prices may help stabilize revenues and affect broader market pricing trends.

“Although import volumes have decreased, the continuing rise in unit prices is likely to influence domestic seafood market prices as well,” one pollock trade official told Union Forsea Corp.

Source: Union Forsea Corp.

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