(IntraFish) At the 2012 Surimi Industry Forum, experts debate trends in the seafood throughout the world. Oregon State University (OSU) Professor Jae Park said surimi seafood just isn't being marketed well in the United States.
Park, who organized the 12th annual Surimi Industry Forum and Surimi School in Astoria, Oregon, this week, said at the event he expects Korean surimi producers to approach the US market "more aggressively" now that the renegotiated US Korea free-trade agreement has taken effect.
Park told the audience, which consisted of about 115 seafood company representatives and researchers representing eight countries, that brands that are familiar to US consumers should dip their toes into surimi seafood.
"I wouldn't be surprised if someday (soon) we saw Starkist crabstick," he said of the Korea-based Dongwon-owned US tuna giant. "Right now, they are not doing business well."
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Jim Ianelli said the outlook for Alaska pollock, from which surimi can be made, is positive. "The Eastern Bering Sea pollock quota looks like it will be stable going forward," Ianelli said.
The challenges surimi producers must overcome, however, include predicting the success of the other commodities that affect surimi, either directly, such as sugar and phosphate rock, or indirectly, such as oil.
"Sugar has been very tight in the market," Canadian food manufacturer Pacific Blends' John Wells said. "There's always talk of sugar coming down, but it hasn't."
In addition, corn has has "recent (price) jumps due to other usages," like biofuel, and phosphate rock is "running up slowly but staying relatively stable" at $150 (€115.7) per ton. Oil has seen "increases over the past few years," as well, Wells concluded, saying the commodities all greatly affect surimi price and production.
Aker BioMarine Vice President Chris McReynolds spoke about the trends in Japan, easily the biggest consumer of surimi in the world, even despite the devastating tsunami in March 2011. The economy "recovered very quickly," he said and the yen continues to stay strong. "That leaves Japan in a very strong position when it comes to purchasing," McReynolds said.
Still, surimi consumption isn't as high as it used to be, even in Japan and, like Park, McReynolds suggested companies create "new products to help stop declined consumption."