The latest Seafood Intelligence Report from analysts at Marko Partners shows cod imports from key Southern European countries fell sharply during the first 10 months of 2012, with Spain showing a whopping 17.4 percent decline in imports.
The report shows total live weight import figures for the world’s largest cod importing countries rose by 8.6 percent from January-October 2012, with imports rising in France, the Netherlands, Demark and Belgium. China’s imports also rose.
Southern Europe, on the other hand, saw its volumes drop significantly.
Portugal, the world’s largest cod importer, took in 3.3 percent less cod that it did during the period the year prior -- around 155,000 metric tons, according the the report.
Spain’s imports fell to 63,322 metric tons, while Italy’s imports dropped 9.7 percent to 24,152 metric tons.
Imports of frozen fillets from China to Europe for the period were down 4.6 percent, from 99,505 metric tons in 2011, to 94,943 metric tons this year.