EUMOFA Monthly Highlights No. 7/2023 is online

This month’s issue analyses first sales of European pilchard in France, Portugal and Spain and Mediterranean horse mackerel in France, Italy and Spain. The case studies of this month are: “Fisheries and aquaculture in Hungary” and “Pollack in the EU”.

FIRST SALES OF EUROPEAN PILCHARD AND MEDITERRANEAN HORSE MACKEREL. Over the 36-month observation period (May 2020 – April 2023), the weighted average first-sales price of European pilchard in Spain was 1,35 EUR/kg, 9% higher than in Portugal (1,23 EUR/kg), and 81% higher than in France (0,74 EUR/kg). During the same period, the weighted average first-sales price of Mediterranean horse mackerel in France was 2,16 EUR/kg, 78% higher than that of Italy (1,21 EUR/kg), and 65% above the average price in Spain (1,31 EUR/kg).

EXTRA-EU IMPORTS. In 2023, the price of frozen fillets of redfish from Iceland has been increasing, fluctuating between 6,54 EUR/kg to 9,07 EUR/kg. At the same time, volume fluctuated greatly from 3 tonnes to 41 tonnes. Since the beginning of the year, the price of prepared or preserved skipjack from Ecuador has been falling, fluctuating between 4,36 EUR/kg to 5,18 EUR/kg. At the same time, volume fluctuated greatly from 384 tonnes to 1.222 tonnes.

CONSUMPTION. This month the focus is on clam in Italy and Portugal. Over the past three years, Italy’s household consumption of clams was more than five times higher than in Portugal. Italian consumers spent almost three times more for a kilogramme of fresh clam compared to consumers in Portugal.

The most recent weekly consumption data (up to week 24 of 2023) can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE IN HUNGARY. In 2020, aquaculture production of the EU-27 was 1,1 million tonnes, of which 294.000 tonnes (22%) were produced in freshwater. Hungary was the 7th largest freshwater fish producer with 18.000 tonnes of production, accounting for 6% of freshwater fish production of the EU-27.

POLLACK IN THE EU. In 2022, the EU-27 imported 1.584 tonnes of pollack at a value of EUR 8 million, mostly fresh or chilled (97% of the imports total value). The major provider of pollack to the EU market was Norway, accounting for 56% of the extra-EU import value, followed by the United Kingdom (44%). In the same year, EU exports to third countries amounted to just 58 tonnes at a value of EUR 342.000.

ANCHOVY IN THE EU. In 2020, landings of European anchovy species in the EU-27 amounted to 104.070 tonnes. Since 2013, Spain has been the main landing EU Member State, accounting for 48% of the total EU landing volumes in 2021, followed by Italy (23%). Other main landing countries were Croatia (11%), Portugal (9%) and Greece (7%). In 2022, the EU-27 imported 24.956 tonnes of anchovy at a value of 186 million, mostly prepared or preserved (91% of the imports total value). The major provider of anchovy to the EU market was Morocco, accounting for 63% of the extra-EU import value, followed by Albania (14%).

MACROECONOMIC CONTEXT. Average prices for Marine fuel in May 2023 ranged between 0,58 and 0,76 EUR/litre in ports in France, Italy, Spain and the UK. Prices decreased by an average of about 8,4% compared with the previous month, and they also decreased by an average of 35,9% compared with the same month in 2022.

Monthly Highlights no. 7/2023 is now available in English, French, and Spanish

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