US Alaska pollock catchers are dropping production of pin-bone out (PBO) fillets this A season, because of low prices in Europe and stronger demand on surimi and deepskin.
The production of PBO fillets though Feb. 8 is 8,600 metric tons, down 21.81% year-on-year. The loss of the price premium from being the only Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fishery after the Russian Sea of Okhotsk fishery was certified last year is impacting US production.
Prices for PBO fillets, the main market for which is the European fish finger processors in Germany, France and the UK, are down at around $2,950 per metric ton, depending on delivery terms and quantity. B season prices in 2013 were around $3,050/mt, with the A season last year at around $3,200/mt.
The last time the prices were at this level was the B season of 2007, before they went on a rapid climb, hitting $4,500/mt in the A season of 2009.
US catchers are producing more deepskin blocks, with production at 8,900t already, up 64.81% y-o-y. Surimi production so far is 16,900t, up 3% y-o-y. Surimi prices to Japan are trending up.
The price of Alaskan pollock surimi bound for the Japanese market for the current 2014 A season has roughly settled at JPY 30-40 higher than that for the 2013 B season, buoyed by the uncertain outlook for surimi supplies from other producers, mainly Southeast Asia and China, according to a report fromMinato Tsukiji.
For roe, mainly sold to Japan and formerly the cash cow of the industry, the outlook is also looking more positive, with recovery rates up on the A season of 2013.
Production of headed and gutted (H&G) pollock is 3,900t so far, down 23.52% y-o-y.
H&G prices are also under pressure, because of the Russian Sea of Okhotsk fishery now having the MSC approval, also. The Sea of Okhotsk fishery takes place largely in A season, meaning Chinese processors can produce double frozen blocks for customers wanting MSC products from Russian fish, as well as American.
The Russian H&G price is currently around $1,400/mt, with American fish still selling at a premium, but largely because there is more bigger fish available, rather than the large premium US H&G used to command from being the only MSC pollock available.
According to producers in the US, the strategy is to cut PBO production and dry up the market in Europe, resulting in higher prices in B season. “Demand is still strong — in Europe and the US — and we don’t think there is much stock around,” one said.
At the same time, the low prices are causing more US buyers to switch to once frozen — PBO, deepskin or individual quick frozen (IQF) fillets – over twice frozen pollock, processed in China from US or Russian H&G.