EUMOFA Monthly Highlights 1-2021 is online

This month’s issue analyses first sales of Common octopus (Portugal, Spain, Italy) and broadtail shortfin squid (Spain, Italy). The case studies of this month are “Coldwater shrimps in the EU” and “Fisheries and aquaculture in Mexico”.

The headline messages from this month’s market insights are listed below.

FIRST SALES IN EUROPE: Between January and October 2020, the only surveyed countries that registered an increase in first-sales volume and value were Estonia (due to a higher supply of pike-perch and herring) and Lithuania (due to a higher supply of herring and sprat). In October 2020, the most significant decreases in first sales were observed in Sweden (due to lower supply of herring) and Bulgaria (due to lower first-sales value of clam and first-sales volume of red mullet). The most recent weekly (up to week 4 of 2021) and monthly (November 2020) data for first sales in Europe can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

FIRST SALES OF COMMON OCTOPUS AND BROADTAIL SHORTFIN SQUID: First-sales prices of common octopus experienced a downward trend in Portugal and Spain between November 2017 and October 2020, while in Italy they followed a slight increasing trend. The highest average first-sales price of the species was registered in Italy, at 7,68 EUR/kg. Over the same period, prices of broadtail shortfin squid increased in Spain but decreased in Italy where the average first-sales price was highest, at 4,89 EUR/kg. In Spain, the average price was 27% lower.

EXTRA-EU IMPORTS:The price of whole, frozen lobster from Canada fluctuated from 1,39 to 20,10 EUR/kg and exhibited an overall downward trend in 2020 (up to mid-November), while supply increased.

CONSUMPTION: In January-October 2020, Italian consumers spent an average of 6,61 EUR for a kilogram of anchovy. A total of 13.497 tonnes of the species was consumed in the country in the same period. The most recent weekly (up to week 3 of 2021) consumption data can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

COLDWATER SHRIMPS IN THE EU: In 2019, the EU exported 49.000 tonnes of coldwater shrimp to non-EU countries. Denmark was the biggest exporting Member State (78% of the total volume), while China is the main partner country.

FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE IN MEXICO: EU imports from Mexico amounted to 34.591 tonnes for a value of EUR 113 million in 2019, where frozen products dominated, accounting for 90% of total imports. Yellowfin tuna products (44% of total value) and octopus (21%) were the most imported products.

GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS: The latest implementation report of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) shows that by the end of 2019, EUR 3,21 billion of EMFF support was granted to operations in Member States. This corresponds to 56% of the EUR 5,69 billion EMFF funding available to Member States.

MACROECONOMIC CONTEXT: In December 2020, average prices for marine fuel in France, Italy, Spain, and the UK increased by approximately 12% relative to the previous month, reaching an average of 0,35 EUR/litre. Compared with December 2019, fuel prices were 31% lower.

The study is available in English, French and Spanish.