Norway's 2019 salmon output seen up 3 pct, price set to rise -council

Austevoll Seafood ASA

07/01/2019 14:46

OSLO, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Norway's output of farmed salmon is
expected to rise by 3  percent in 2019 from 2018, while global
salmon production is forecast to rise by around 4 percent,
Norway's state-owned Seafood Council said on Monday.
    Salmon farming is Norway's second largest export industry
after oil and gas, and even small changes in output and prices
move the share prices of top producers, including world number
one Mowi  MOWI.OL , previously known as Marine Harvest.
    The output predictions were based on data from forecaster
Kontali, Seafood Council analyst Ingrid Kristine Pettersen
added.
    The council's own models show the average price of Norwegian
salmon will probably rise to about 62.7 Norwegian crowns ($7.32)
per kilo in 2019 from 60.73 crowns in 2018, she added.
    The price, as measured in Norwegian crowns, remains subject
to exchange rate volatility, and did not take into account any
potential changes in Russia's import ban on Norwegian salmon or
changes in Chinese import restrictions.
    In 2018 the value of Norwegian seafood exports rose by five
percent to a record 99 billion Norwegian crowns, two thirds of
which was made up of salmon.  

($1 = 8.5659 Norwegian crowns)

 (Reporting by Ole Petter Skonnord, editing by Terje Solsvik)
 ((terje.solsvik@thomsonreuters.com; +47 918 666 70; Reuters
Messaging: terje.solsvik.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))