EUMOFA Monthly Highlights No. 7/2022 is online

This month’s issue analyses first sales of freshwater bream (Estonia, the Netherlands) and pike-perch (Estonia, France, the Netherlands). The case studies of this month are: “Atlantic mackerel in the EU ”; “Raw material costs for fisheries and aquaculture value chains ”.

FIRST SALES IN EUROPE. In April 2022, compared to April 2021, First sales increased in France in both value and volume, though the change in volume was small with no statistical significance. Mainly cod, scallop, and octopus were behind the increase in France. The most recent weekly (up to week 30 of 2022) and monthly (May 2022) data for first sales in Europe can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

FIRST SALES OF FRESHWATER BREAM AND PIKE-PERCH. From May 2019 to April 2022, the weighted average first-sales price of freshwater bream in Estonia was 0,57 EUR/kg, 34% higher than in the Netherlands (0,43 EUR/kg). In the same period, the weighted average first-sales price of pike-perch in France was 10,26 EUR/kg, 226% higher than that of Estonia (3,15 EUR/kg), and 38% greater than that of the Netherlands (7,43 EUR/kg).

EXTRA-EU IMPORTS. In 2022, the price of frozen carp from Myanmar exhibited an upward trend. At the same time, volume showed a downward trend. Price ranged from 1,69 to 2,67 EUR/kg, and volume from 8 to 100 tonnes. In the same year, price of frozen squid from Morocco exhibited an upward trend, while volume showed an opposite trend. Price ranged from 9,51 to 12,44 EUR/kg and supply from 77 to 287 tonnes.

CONSUMPTION. During the period January 2015–April 2018, retail prices of fresh gilthead seabream registered highest in Italy. Volume saw considerable monthly variations in Italy and Spain, but it registered bigger sales compared with Portugal, where volumes sold were five times lower, but remained relatively stable. The most recent weekly consumption data (up to week 28 of 2022) can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

ATLANTIC MACKEREL IN THE EU. In the period from 2017 to 2021, EU mackerel imports varied from 148.000 tonnes to around 182.000 tonnes per year, and values varied between EUR 243 million to above EUR 271 million. In 2021, extra-EU imports of frozen Atlantic mackerel totalled 167.899 tonnes worth EUR 271 million. Compared with 2020, they increased by 10% in volume and 1% in value.

RAW MATERIAL COSTS FOR FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE VALURE CHAINS. Since the beginning of 2020, the European fishery and aquaculture market has been disrupted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has deepened the inflation observed over the last years for several commodities.

GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS. On 2 June, the Commission adopted its Partnership Agreement with France, laying down an investment strategy worth EUR 18.4 billion in cohesion policy funding for the period 2021-2027. Around EUR 567 million from the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund will facilitate the ecological transition of the fishing and aquaculture sectors.

MACROECONOMIC CONTEXT. Average prices for marine fuel in July 2022 ranged between 1,02 and 1,14 EUR/litre in ports in France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Prices decreased by an average of about 4,1% compared with the previous month, and they increased by an average of 123,9% compared with the same month in 2021.

Monthly Highlights 7/2022 is available in English, French and Spanish.