The key facts
- The catch of Pacific herring, according to the expert's estimate, will reach about 630 thousand tonnes versus the usual 450–480 thousand tonnes
- The wholesale price of frozen herring is already about 110 rubles per kilogram, and 140–150 rubles in Central Russia
- The quota for Atlantic cod was increased by 14%, and its wholesale price may fall by about 5%
Herring may become cheaper due to record catches
In Russia, herring and blue whiting will become cheaper, and imported shrimp may also become more affordable. This forecast was given to Life.ru by Valentin Balashov, chairman of the board of the Interregional Association of Coastal Fishermen of the Northern Basin. According to him, the country's most popular fish — herring, which accounts for about 20% of the domestic market — will become cheaper, but mackerel, in his assessment, will definitely not get cheaper.
Wholesale prices are already falling
The catch of Pacific herring this year, according to Balashov's estimate, will reach approximately 630 thousand tonnes compared with the usual 450–480 thousand tonnes — an increase of about 150 thousand tonnes, or roughly 30%. It is good catches, the expert explained, that increase supply and create conditions for prices to fall. Frozen herring already costs about 110 rubles per kilogram at wholesale, and around 140–150 rubles in Central Russia. These are wholesale prices, not the cost on store shelves.
Cod and blue whiting
The expert expects prices for blue whiting to fall thanks to increased permitted catch volumes in the Atlantic. Atlantic cod, in his forecast, may become about 5% cheaper: Russia's quota for its catch was raised by 14% — an additional roughly 25 thousand tonnes of fish. 'Wholesalers have already lowered prices for buyers; cod is being bought from fishermen cheaper than last year,' Balashov noted. Earlier, Life.ru reported, citing monitoring by the National Fish Resources Agency, that the wholesale price of Pacific cod fell by 6.8% from September 14 to November 2 — from 590 to 550 rubles per kilogram.
What will not get cheaper
The expert sees no grounds for halibut, farmed aquaculture salmon and sea trout to become cheaper. For pollock and other species with stable catch volumes, he also does not expect any noticeable price decline. In the case of imported aquaculture shrimp, he said, the reason for a possible price drop could be expanded production and imports.
