Scottish salmon harvests set to fall sharply, Norway grows strongly
Staff Writer |
Harvest volumes of Scottish farmed salmon have been forecast to reach only 155,000 tonnes this year, an 11 percent drop compared to 2017.
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After several quarters of growth, notes SalMar in its most recent financial report, in Q1 2018 the volume of salmon harvested in Scotland fell by 13 percent compared with the first quarter 2017, while in the second and third quarters, output is expected to decrease by 15 percent and 11 percent respectively.
Despite this, SalMar's own Scottish operations - Scottish Sea Farms (which it jointly owns with Leroy) - reported a y-on-y increase in harvest volumes, which increased by 600 tonnes to reach 6,500 tonnes in the quarter.
They also recorded an impressive yield, with gutted weight EBIT/kg reaching NOK 26.67 in the period, compared with NOK 16 in the previous quarter and NOK 24.22 in Q1 2017.
Moreover, fish affected by poor gill health were harvested out in the fourth quarter 2017 and the company now reports good biological status in all its operational areas.
According to SalMar, the global supply of Atlantic salmon was 9 percent higher in the first quarter 2018 than in the corresponding period last year.
However, the growth rate is expected to tail off as the year progresses.
In the second and third quarters, output is expected to be 3 percent higher than in the same periods last year, while growth in the fourth quarter 2018 is expected to be up 1 percent on the same quarter in 2017.
Output in Norway rose by 6 percent in the first quarter and the annual volume harvested in Norway is expected to increase by 6 percent to 1.28 million tonnes.
A sharp downturn in the growth rate in Chile is expected through 2018. After increasing by 25 percent in the first quarter, growth of 5 percent and 1 percent respectively are expected in the second and third quarters.
Year-on-year, output is expected to fall by 7 percent in the fourth quarter. For 2018 as a whole, the volume harvested in Chile is expected to increase by 5 percent to 607,400 tonnes.
Developments in North America are expected to remain stable throughout 2018, with quarterly growth of 2–6 percent. For the year as a whole, the harvested volume is expected to rise by 3 percent to 166,800 tonnes. ■
Modified arctic air combined with a moisture-laden area of low pressure along the Gulf Coast will continue to allow for a broad area of winter weather impacts from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Southeast today into early Saturday morning.