It wasn't the best month for salmon, but Norwegian seafood exports had a good September, mainly due to higher prices for mackerel, cod, saithe, and king crab.
Photo: Dag Sørli / Norwegian Seafood Council.
Since China surpassed the U.S. as the destination market for Norwegian seafood exports in July, the trend has only grown, especially for species such as salmon and prawn. According to the latest Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) report, in September 2025, Norway continued to increase its share of the Chinese salmon market, while the value of prawn exports grew by more than 1000% year-on-year.
"The EU is still our largest overall market, but Norway is now taking an increasing share of the growing Chinese salmon and prawn market. This is gratifying at a time when world trade is experiencing demanding times with increased tariffs and economic turmoil," said Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council.
If in August we said that U.S. tariffs had ultimately affected Norwegian seafood exports, September was the first full month in which Norway faced this 15% tariff on seafood products entering the U.S. market. Thus, although total figures showed a 9% growth in volume and value compared with the same month last year, the truth is that salmon was left out of that growth.
"Exports of king crab, trout and mackerel largely boosted the value to the U.S. in September," the NSC CEO explained. Among all Norwegian seafood exports to all countries, mackerel was precisely the species with the greatest growth in value in September, with an increase of NOK 500 million compared with the same month in 2024.
This rise in prices for species other than salmon is what, in the words of Christian Chramer, ensured growth in September. "Seafood exports have had a strong month in terms of value and a solid third quarter. This is primarily due to higher prices for mackerel, cod, saithe and king crab," he said.
In total, Norway exported seafood worth NOK 17.9 billion in September. This is an increase of NOK 1.4 billion, or 8%, compared with the same month last year. The largest markets were Poland, China and the United States, but it was the Chinese market which recorded the greatest growth in value, with an increase in export value of NOK 393 million, or 39%, compared with September 2024.
For salmon, the outlook was not so positive. As mentioned, the introduction of the U.S. tariffs has directly affected Norwegian salmon exports to this country, which have seen how, while in the first half of the year, 10.6% of the value of Norwegian salmon exports came from the United States, in the third quarter, this figure has fallen to 7.6%.
"The value of salmon exports to the U.S. fell by 5% compared with the third quarter last year. Stronger competition, increased tariffs and a weaker dollar have affected exports of fresh whole salmon to the U.S., which have fallen sharply in recent months," explained Chramer.
As Karine Rød Haraldsson, NSC envoy to the United States, explained in August, beyond the increase in the final price, a significant effect of the application of tariffs is that it distorts competition. Canada, for example, has no tariffs on seafood imports to the U.S., while Scottish and Faroese salmon are subject to a 10% tariff, the same as Chilean salmon.
However, if increased competition resulting from tariffs affects Norwegian salmon exports to the United States, causing it to lose market share, it also affects, to a certain extent, those to China, where, conversely, Norway is gaining ground over Chile.
"The Chilean share in particular has declined," said Paul T. Aandahl, seafood analyst of the Norwegian Seafood Council, commenting on the Chinese market. Meanwhile, according to NSC data, Norwegian salmon's market share in China has increased from 43% last year to 65% so far in 2025.
The Asian giant saw the highest growth in value in September, with an increase in export value of NOK 352 million, or 78%, compared with the same month last year. The export volume to China ended at 8,147 tons, which is 68% higher year-on-year.
In total, in September 2025, Norway exported 137,600 tons of salmon with a value of NOK 11.6 billion. This means the value increased by NOK 261 million, or 2%, compared with September 2024, while volume fell by 1%.
Even with China leading the value growth, Poland, the U.S. and France were the largest markets for Norwegian salmon in September.
In September, landings of fresh cod were roughly at the same level as in September last year, which, according to NSC seafood analyst Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, contributed to growth in exports of fresh wild cod year-on-year. "We have to go all the way back to September 2023 to find the previous month with an increased export volume of fresh wild cod," he said.
For fresh wild cod, the export volume increased by 14% to 800 tons, while the export value increased by 28% to NOK 59 million. In the case of fresh farmed cod, the export volume increased by 57% to 1,189 tons, while the export value increased by 78% to NOK 84 million.
"Farmed cod accounted for 59% of the export value of fresh cod in September. This is the highest proportion of farmed cod ever in a single month," Brækkan explained.
Regarding prices, even with the increased volume of fresh cod, the price level was significantly higher than last year. The export price of fresh whole wild cod increased by 13% year-on-year, while fresh whole farmed cod was 17% up.
For fresh wild cod, as usual, Denmark was the predominant transit country, accounting for up to 71% of export volume in September. Meanwhile, in the case of fresh farmed cod, 41% of exports went to the transit and processing market in the Netherlands, but a large part was also exported directly to consumer markets in Spain and France.
In total, Norway exported 2,000 tons of fresh cod worth NOK 143 million in September. Compared with the same month last year, the value increased by NOK 50 million, or 53%, while the volume growth was 36%. Globally, Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland were the largest markets.
As far as frozen cod is concerned, September saw a historic market change. For the first time, Vietnam was Norway's largest market for frozen cod with an export volume of 672 tons, which is 175% higher year-on-year.
"Vietnam was also the market with the highest value growth in September, with an increase in export value of NOK 40 million, or 245%, compared with September last year," said NSC seafood analyst Eivind Hestvik Brækkan.
Meanwhile, despite growing by 3% due to increased exports of frozen by-products, the volume of frozen whole cod exports to China fell by 19% to 641 tons.
"Most of the frozen whole cod that goes to China is processed and re-exported as frozen fillets to the U.S. and Europe. China now faces a high tariff on exports to the U.S., and there has been a sharp decline in Chinese exports of frozen cod fillets to the U.S. in recent months. In the same period, exports from China to Europe have increased," Brækkan explained.
"Vietnam faces a lower tariff than China when exporting to the U.S., which may have contributed to Vietnam being our largest market for frozen cod in a single month for the first time," the NSC seafood analyst continued, explaining that historic market change.
In total, Norway exported 2,200 tons of frozen cod worth NOK 185 million last month. Compared with September 2024, the value increased by NOK 38 million, or 26%, which is a growth in volume of 8%. Behind Vietnam, China and the UK were the largest markets for Norwegian frozen cod in September.
