Norway is one of the largest seafood-exporting nations world-wide. Norwegian seafood includes wild fish and shellfish caught in the Norwegian and Barents Seas, as well as fish farmed in the country’s coastal waters. Important species are the spawning cod (“skrei”, the basis of dried bacalao) herring, mackerel, as well as a wide variety of whitefish, prawns and crabs. Norway is leading in the development of modern aquaculture, which today generates more than 40 per cent of Norwegian seafood exports. Salmon is the most widely exported farmed fish.
Alongside traditionally high levels of consumption of Norwegian herring and mackerel in Ukraine, recent years have registered a steady growth in the Ukrainian consumer’s demand for salmon and trout. According to the statistics from the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, the export of salmon to Ukraine over January-September 2006 reached a record high volume of nearly 4,000 tons against 1,138 tons and 883 tons for 2005 and 2004 respectively. In addition, various shellfish are becoming more popular among the Ukrainian consumers, with shrimps currently the number one choice in terms of availability and price.
In view of the increase in both consumption and variety of fish and seafood which is currently in demand in Ukraine, the Norwegian Embassy in Kiev is working to promote exports of Norwegian seafood to Ukraine and further long-term relations between Norwegian exporters and Ukrainian seafood importing businesses.
An example of such promotional efforts is organisation of the Norwegian Seafood information stands at the World Food fairs which are held in Kiev every autumn. Beside a wide range of literature with general information about Norwegian seafood and ways of its consuming, the Ukrainian visitors working in the seafood industry and wishing to find new partners in Norway, are offered Norwegian seafood exporter catalogues with contact information about some of the biggest Norwegian producers and exporters of seafood.
To receive literature about Norwegian seafood industry, please contact Elena Kovalenko at or +380 44 590 04 76
For additional information regarding seafood trade opportunities please visit the following sites:
Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries: http://www.odin.dep.no/fkd/english/bn.html
Norwegian Seafood Export Council: http://www.seafoodfromnorway.com/
National Federation of Norwegian Fish and Aquaculture Industries: http://www.fhl.no/category/English/category.php?categoryID=31&CorepublishSession=36315a6228481e040837d323480305d2
Nortrade – the official Norwegian business environment on the Internet: www.nortrade.com