The overall value of exported fresh or chilled salmon grew by an average 29.7% for all exporting countries since 2019 when worldwide shipments of salmon were valued at $13.7 billion.
Year over year, total exports of salmon appreciated by 2.8% starting from $17.2 billion in 2022.
The 5 major exporters of fresh or chilled salmon are Norway, Sweden, Chile, United Kingdom and Canada. Combined, that leading quintet of exporters provided 86.1% of international sales of salmon during 2023.
Among continents, European countries sold the highest dollar worth of exported fresh or chilled salmon during 2023 with shipments valued at $15.5 billion or 87.8% of the global total. In second place were Latin American exporters at 6.4% including the Caribbean. Another 3.9% of international salmon sales originated from North America.
Smaller percentages came from exporters in Oceania (1.9%) mostly Australia, Asia (0.1%), then Africa (0.001%).
There are 2 major categories of fresh or chilled salmon exports, namely:
- Atlantic or Danube salmon: $17.5 billion (99% of global total); and
- Pacific salmon: $178.8 million (1%)
Shifting focus to salmon imports, the 5 leading buyers of fresh or chilled salmon on global markets are Sweden, Poland, United States of America, France and mainland China. That cohort of main buyers of salmon on international markets consumed well over half (56.4%) of imported salmon during 2023.
The top 5 import countries’ percentage is much more concentrated for exporter countries compared to major importer nations. This is partly because there are approximately twice as many importing countries, islands and territories as opposed to exporting entities. Specifically, there are about 145 importers compared to roughly 60 exporters.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 030214 for exported and imported fresh or chilled Atlantic and Danube salmon. The code prefix for fresh or chilled Pacific salmon is 030213.
In addition, presented near the bottom of this article are key statistics for exports and imports for prepared or preserved salmon whether whole or in pieces. The HTS code is 160411 for these forms of processed salmon.
Top Fresh or Chilled Salmon Exports by Country
Below are the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh or chilled salmon during 2023.
- Norway: US$8.6 billion (48.9% of total salmon exports)
- Sweden: $4.1 billion (23.5%)
- Chile: $1.1 billion (6.4%)
- United Kingdom: $722 million (4.1%)
- Canada: $580.7 million (3.3%)
- Denmark: $577.1 million (3.3%)
- Faroe Islands: $429.8 million (2.4%)
- Australia: $262.9 million (1.5%)
- Iceland: $207.2 million (1.2%)
- Finland: $199.1 million (1.1%)
- Switzerland: $187.7 million (1.1%)
- Netherlands: $173.3 million (1%)
- France: $164.2 million (0.9%)
- United States: $100.9 million (0.6%)
- New Zealand: $72.8 million (0.4%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.5% of globally exported salmon in 2023.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing salmon exporters since 2022 were suppliers in: France (up 26.1%), New Zealand (up 11.7%), Sweden (up 9.9%), Chile (up 8.5%) then world leader Norway (up 5.5%).
Posting the severest declines in their exported salmon sales were providers located in: the United States of America (down -43.1% from 2022), Iceland (down -27.3%), Finland (down -20%), Canada (down -19.6%) and the Faroe Islands (down -14.4%).
Top Fresh or Chilled Salmon Imports by Country
Worldwide, imported salmon appreciated by 29.9% over the 5-year period starting in 2019 to $17 billion in 2023, and advanced by 3.8% year over year from 2022.
Below are the 15 most lucrative countries as measured by the highest dollar value worth of spending on imported salmon bought during 2023.
- Sweden: US$4.2 billion (24.4% of total imported salmon)
- Poland: $1.7 billion (9.9%)
- United States: $1.4 billion (8.4%)
- France: $1.3 billion (7.4%)
- China: $1.1 billion (6.3%)
- Denmark: $971.5 million (5.7%)
- Brazil: $764.7 million (4.5%)
- Italy: $698.1 million (4.1%)
- United Kingdom: $634 million (3.7%)
- Spain: $549.1 million (3.2%)
- Netherlands: $503.3 million (3%)
- Germany: $397.9 million (2.3%)
- Finland: $311.5 million (1.8%)
- South Korea: $274.5 million (1.6%)
- Lithuania: $250.8 million (1.5%)
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 87.8% of globally imported salmon for 2023.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing salmon buyers since 2022 were: mainland China (up 43.1%), Italy (up 18.1%), Poland (up 15%) and Sweden (up 7.9%).
Buyers that posted double-digit declines in their imported salmon purchases were customers in Finland (down -19.8% from 2022), Germany (down -17.8%), Lithuania (down -17.2%) and South Korea (down -12.3%).
Main Prepared or Preserved Salmon Exports by Country
In addition to fresh or chilled exported salmon, another US$964.9 million worth of prepared or preserved salmon was sold on international trade markets during 2023.
That export amount declined by -6.6% year over year, but appreciated by 11% over the 5-year period starting in 2019.
The prepared or preserved salmon dollar metric amounts to just 5.5% of the overall value for globally exported fresh or chilled salmon, up from the 5.2% share for 2022.
Below are the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of prepared or preserved salmon for 2023.
- Germany: US$255.5 million (26.5% of prepared or preserved salmon exports)
- United States: $120.7 million (12.5%)
- Japan: $103.2 million (10.7%)
- Canada: $97.6 million (10.1%)
- United Kingdom: $77.1 million (8%)
- France: $41.2 million (4.3%)
- Australia: $38.9 million (4%)
- Belgium: $29.7 million (3.1%)
- Italy: $29.7 million (3.1%)
- Sweden: $21.4 million (2.2%)
- Denmark: $16.7 million (1.7%)
- Switzerland: $14.7 million (1.5%)
- Taiwan: $13 million (1.4%)
- Spain: $10 million (1%)
- Netherlands: $9.2 million (1%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 91.1% of global exports for prepared or preserved salmon in 2023.
Among the top exporters of processed salmon, the fastest gainers were Spain (up 43.8% from 2022), France (up 36.2%), Denmark (up 25%) and Belgium (down 11.1%).
The severest declines belong to suppliers in the Netherlands (down -26% from 2022), United States of America (down -25.5%), Australia (down -25.4%), United Kingdom (down -19.1%) and Canada (down -18.3%).
Main Prepared or Preserved Salmon Imports by Country
Besides fresh or chilled imported salmon, a total US$964.9 million worth of prepared or preserved salmon was bought by importers in 2023. That dollar amount reflects a -6.6% reduction from 2022, and an 11% rise over the five-year period starting in 2019.
The dollar amount for imported prepared or preserved salmon equals 5.7% of the overall value for globally imported fresh or chilled salmon. That percentage is smaller than the 6.3% share for 2022.
Below are the top 15 import countries that spent the most on prepared or preserved salmon in 2023.
- Germany: US$255.5 million (26.5% of prepared or preserved salmon imports)
- United States: $120.7 million (12.5%)
- Japan: $103.2 million (10.7%)
- Canada: $97.6 million (10.1%)
- United Kingdom: $77.1 million (8%)
- France: $41.2 million (4.3%)
- Australia: $38.9 million (4%)
- Belgium: $29.7 million (3.1%)
- Italy: $29.7 million (3.1%)
- Sweden: $21.4 million (2.2%)
- Denmark: $16.7 million (1.7%)
- Switzerland: $14.7 million (1.5%)
- Taiwan: $13 million (1.4%)
- Spain: $10 million (1%)
- Netherlands: $9.2 million (1%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 91.5% of globally imported prepared or preserved salmon during 2023.
Among the major importers of processed salmon, the greatest increases belong to buyers in Spain (up 43.8% from 2022), France (up 36.2%), Denmark (up 25%) then Belgium (up 11.1%).
Posting double-digit declines year over year were importers in the Netherlands (down -26% from 2022), United States of America (down -25.5%), Australia (down -25.4%), United Kingdom (down -19.1%), Canada (down -18.3%) and Taiwan (down -14.9%).
See also Frozen Fish Exports by Country, Top Caviar Export Sales by Country, Unit Price & Weight, Oranges Exports by Country, Best Tofu Exports by Sales, Average Unit Prices & Weight and Top Vitamins Exports & Imports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 20, 2024
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on July 20, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 20, 2024
Wikipedia, Salmon. Accessed on July 20, 2024