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Issue link: https://seafoodbusiness.epubxp.com/i/233790
Market Report Pollock's rebound MSC designation impacting Alaska pollock prices Emergence of whitefsh alternatives limits its market Alaska pollock landings, in billions of pounds 3.5 3.1 ISA returns to Chile's salmon farms Inspectors fnd new virus strain in southern Aysen region O n Dec. 10 alarm salmon bells rang across Chile as the infectious salmon anemia (ISA) virus returned. Te crisis slowed the industry's (then) 2,000 percent annual growth. Despite October reports from Chilean authorities and assurances from President Sebastian Piñera that ISA was not a threat to salmon farmers, infected samples were detected at Southern Cross Seafood in the southern Aysen region. Southern Cross spokespeople say the company has successfully isolated the virus and the national fshing authority, Sernapesca, confrmed that the virus was detected in time to prevent its spread. Sernapesca added in its declaration that the producer complies with all biosafety regulations that have been put in force since 2007. Sernapesca says the virus was discovered during an inspection by Chile's national fsheries service (Servicio Nacional de Pesca). What worries the industry and national authorities the most is that this time inspectors found a new variation of the ISA (Continued on page 13) 12 SeaFood Business January 2014 2.3 1.9 05 20 06 20 07 20 08 20 09 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 04 1.5 03 with the prices but the Alaskans were not. Maybe the prices have all become [equalized] now that the Russians have got MSC." Reports out of China in late November had prices for H&G; Russia pollock at over $1,600 a metric ton (MT), about $200 more than in November 2012. 2.7 20 pollock Te CEO of a seafood company with an extensive foodservice component says Russia will keep producing H&G; fsh until the market corrects itself, which he expects will happen by March. Prices for single-frozen, PBO Alaska pollock were around $2.30 a pound in early December, while prices for twice-frozen pollock was about $1 a pound less than that. Singlefrozen blocks of Alaska pollock were in the 20 P rices for pollock from Russia are up after the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) designated the fshery as sustainable — but what's good for Russia's share of the world's largest fshery is not as good for the Alaska side of the equation. "People are complaining a lot, moaning and groaning about the price of roe. Too low," says an executive from one Seattle-based processor. "Russians were happy Source: NOAA Fisheries mid-$1 range, about 20 cents a pound more than doublefrozen blocks. Te CEO says Alaska is going to have to pick its poison in 2014. "Do they overproduce surimi or pinbone-out block? Either way, I think they have a big problem on their hands," he says. PBO pricing out of A season should come down to around $1.40 per pound, with mince prices down to around Japan paying more for snow, king crab Rough weather, Russian law enforcement contribute to price spike S now crab is in season, but prices at Tokyo's Tsukiji wholesale market in early December were posted 30 to 50 percent higher than last year, as rough weather in the Sea of Japan has reduced landings. Mature male snow crab landed on the San-in coast of Japan (Southwest Honshu Island from Yamaguchi to Hyogo prefectures) is branded as "Matsubagani" and fetches a high price due to its full meat, about 10,000 yen (about $97) per kilogram (kg) at Tsukiji. Supplies of poached Russian snow crab have been greatly reduced, with frozen imports down 70 percent in October yearon-year. Yearly imports look to top 2012, but crab this is because of illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) product. Between new certifcate of origin requirements and increased Russian enforcement, that trade has been restricted. Te United States is competing for snow crab, taking largerthan-usual quantities of both Canadian and Russian product. U.S. restaurants are ofering snow crab dishes in place of shrimp, so the scarcity of snows in Japan should continue. Tough king crab is always higher priced than snow, a narrowing gap is leading the Japanese market to favor kings this year. Tough deliveries of processed king crab to Japan from Russia dropped in September to less than one-tenth of that seen in 2012, imports for the year are up, as large quantities of IUU product came in early in the year to beat new documentation rules. A red king quota increase in the Russian Far East should further boost Japan's supplies. Japan also bought about 60 percent of Alaska Bering Sea red king crab. As inventories are said to be high for kings, we should see reasonable prices, in contrast to the snow crab. Te trend in Japan is toward more kings and fewer snows. — Chris Loew Visit us online at www.seafoodbusiness.com