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Seabass and Seabream Market Report - January 2007
General trends
Good international demand and increasing prices were the main features of the
EU seabass and seabream
market between January and September 2006. However, from September onwards,
with the new generation fish reaching the marketable size of 350-400 gr, the increased supply could not be absorbed by demand
anymore, hence the gradual decline of prices.
According
to GLOBEFISH industry correspondents, prices of seabass
dropped considerably for all size grades from October 2006 to January 2007. On
the other hand, even if the overall trend of seabream
prices was a declining one, prices of small grades were relatively more
buoyant than prices of larger grades. As a result, in January 2007, seabass (normally more expensive than seabream)
became a cheaper option in several EU markets.
Italy: saturated market
Italian imports of seabass and seabream
declined by -12 percent between January-October 2005 and January-October
2006, with seabass imports experiencing -14 percent
decline and seabream imports experiencing -11
percent decline. However, Italy remains
the main importer of seabass and seabream in the EU. According to EUROSTAT data, Italian
imports represented 52 percent of total EU imports of fresh seabass and seabream in 2000,
the same ratio being 40 percent in 2006 (January-September figures only).
Italian imports of fresh seabass and seabream, January-October 2005-2006
Spain:
declining imports
Spanish imports of seabass and seabream
declined from 12 900 tonnes, equivalent to €59.8 million, in January-November
2005, to 11 280 tonnes, equivalent to €52.9 million in January-November 2006.
Total seabass import volumes declined by -9 percent
and seabream import volumes declined by -16
percent.
Spanish imports of fresh seabass and seabream, January-November 2005-2006
France:
market is still growing
French figures suggest an increase in overall seabass
and seabream imports by 8 percent between 2005 and
2006 (January-November period). Greece remains
the main supplier of both species groups to France. In
terms of value, total seabass and seabream imports increased by 14 percent between 2005 and
2006.
French imports of fresh seabass and seabream, January-November 2005-2006
The
bass and bream markets in Italy and, to
a lesser extent, in Spain,
seem to have reached their saturation point in 2006, with imports declining,
perhaps as a result of firmer prices during the summer period. This situation
was somehow anticipated by the modest growth of imports in 2005 from 2004
levels. The French market is still growing, albeit at a relatively low rate.
Under normal conditions, demand and prices should start picking up as the
warm season approaches. Should excess supply persist, producers should try
harder to promote and diversify their range of products in order to reach
other EU markets, such as those of central and northern Europe. Consumers in those markets
generally prefer their fish to be cheap and filleted, or processed in a more
sophisticated way, but anyway easy to prepare and eat.
Major bottlenecks to the penetration of seabass and
seabream in central and northern Europe could be generated by the
increasing costs of filleting and value-adding and by the competition with
cheaper whitefish such as tilapia and pangasius. On
the other hand, the current low cost and abundant supplies of seabass and seabream, as well
as the growing internationalization of several major producing companies,
could possibly help the EU-wide penetration of these fishes.
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Greece:
Greek-based Company goes international.
The Greek company Nireus SA proceeded through its
subsidiary company Nireus International Ltd. (Predomar) to the purchase of the Spanish company Preengorde de Doradas
para Maricultura SL.
The Spanish company holds a hatchery unit and a juvenile pre-fattening unit
with a total capacity of 20 million pieces per year. Through this acquisition
the presence of Nireus Group is reinforced in Spain in the
area of production and sale of juvenile seabass. Therefore,
an increase in juvenile sales is expected among the fish farming companies of
that country.
Spain:
Acuicola marina invests EUR3.6 million in
expansion.
Spanish fish farming firm, Acuicola
Marina, is to spend EUR 3.6 million (US$ 4.59 million) on the
construction of a second marine farm, the equipping of the processing area in
its factory and the purchase of a freezing chamber. The new farm will be used
for bream, squid, croaker, seabass,
oysters and mussels. The firm currently has facilities dedicated to bream and
seabass. The firm hopes to double its 1 500 tonne
volume of business in 2005 to 2008. The firm is currently launching its new
brand, Frescamar.
By Camillo Catarci (GLOBEFISH)
© 2007 FAO GLOBEFISH
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