But while consumption went down, the value of the total seafood market sales increased by 1.3 percent from €3.2 billion ($4.2 billion) in 2011 to €3.3 billion ($4.3 billion) last year, Matthias Keller, managing director at the association and vice president of the European
Federation of National Organisations of Importers and Exporters of Fish (CEP), told IntraFish. "We are happy with the average household spending on seafood," he said. "Consumers still appreciate their fish." Nevertheless, annual per capita consumption dropped to 14.9 kilograms from previously 15.2 kilograms, he said.
Volumes of fresh fish consumed dived 8.6 percent year-on-year from 56,756 metric tons in 2011 to 51,888 metric tons last year. The main reason was a 4.7 percent average price increase from €12.61 ($16.50) per kg in 2011 to €13.21 ($17.30) per kg last year.
Frozen fish products remained at about the same levels, Keller said, but marinades and other pickled fish also saw a decline from 70,851 metric tons to 66,400 metric tons last year.
This was mainly due to rocketing prices of herring,he said. The average price for a kilogram of marinated product shot up by 12 percent to €5.29 ($6.90), compared to €4.71 ($6.20) in 2011.
The only exemption in the category was the smoked fish segment, which saw an increase in both volume and value.
Consumers not only bought 5.5 percent more smoked fish -- mainly salmon and trout -- but also spent more, Keller (pictured left) said. Total value of the smoked fish segment went up from €583 million ($764.1 million) in 2011 to €604 million ($791.6 million) last year.
Keller, who will celebrate his 25th anniversary at the helm of the German Fish Processors Association on 1st of July 2013, isnevertheless optimistic, saying consumers are still "interested"in the category.
Stronger 2013
This is reflected in the figures available for thisyear. While Keller wasn't able to share any specific details, he said
Both the volume and value went up in the first five months of the year by 3 percent in volume and 7 percent in value, respectively.
The volumes of fresh fish sold went up 2.6 percent,despite an increase in value of 8 percent.
Frozen fish saw 1.7 percent higher sales, with a growth in value of 2.7 percent, and sales of marinated products went up 1.6 percent, with a whopping increase in value of 4 percent.
Also the smoked segment saw an "excellent development" in thefirst five months of the year, Keller told IntraFish
The sold volume went up 13 percent, and value increased 15 percent. "The smoked segment is showing the biggest increase," he said, adding demand is expected to stay strong.
Need for raw material price stability
How demand will evolve for the rest of the year is dependent on development in consumer prices, Kellersaid.
He predicted a relatively stable whitefish market, but the question how demand for salmon is going to pan out throughout the year is still open.
"Demand for fish is growing, which is why we would need more stability in price development," he told IntraFish
Fish farmers in particular should be able to createa predictable and stable pricing environment, he said.
"If we can increase consumer prices with caution and with careful price management, consumers will accept higher prices for fish in the future."
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
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