(seafoodnews.com) After failing to reach agreement with the Norwegian fish buyers association, the Fishermen’s organization, Norges Rafisklag, unilaterally increased the minimum price of cod by NOK .50.
The new prices are 14 NOK per kg. ($2.28) for cod over 6 kg, and 11.25 NOK per kg for cod over 2.5 Kg and under 6 kg.
Under Norwegian legislation, the fishermens organization has the power to set minimum fish prices if no agreement on pricing is reached, although they are supposed to take processors' views into account.
For most other species, agreements were reached and haddock and saithe prices will go up .50 NOK.
The Norwegian raw fish buyers association (processors) had asked that prices in the winter of 2014 not exceed those of the winter season in 2013; but this was rejected by the harvesters.
“The losses over several years for most of the companies in the cod sector, along with continued large quotas for 2014, mean there is every reason to be cautious,” said the FHL director Geir Ove Ystmark in a statement.
Eva Tallaksen of Undercurrent News reports that Trygve Myrvang, director of Rafisklag, felt the increase was a very cautious one, that is supported by market conditions.
He said there are signs the cod market is improving, such as an increase in frozen cod prices, a positive currency rate between the NOK and the Euro, and low cold storage holdings of cod.