THERE is mixed news on fish supplies in the UK in the run up to Easter - traditionally the fish trade's busiest period of the year. The rise in salmon prices is particularly worrying, says suppliers.
Buyers do not need telling that shipments from Iceland have been less than abundant in the past few weeks, and the quality of some fish has left something to be desired, partly due to seasonal factors
The weather has had an affect, but some Icelandic fishing companies are sending more cod and haddock to the United States and Europe where, they claim, prices are better.
M&J Seafoods, one of the biggest suppliers to the food service trade says in its March market report that at present IQF cod and haddock supply and prices are stable, but frozen at sea supplies have been very short and will continue to be short until Easter so have seen large price increases.
There has also been an issue with Russian fish as they declined to complete the new IUU certificates that are needed for imports, but this has since been solved and new supplies are on the way.
On fresh cod M&J says: "Dependent on where you source from means a big difference in quality and prices at the moment. We are in the spawning season so quality isn't great especially for cod sourced from the west coast. The further north and east you go the better they are but it is also reflected in the price. On fresh haddock, the report adds: " Again it is not the best time for haddocks as a lot of them are thin at the moment. Prices are remaining firm though considering."
Fresh salmon prices jumped sharply last month and with worldwide demand continuing to increase it looks as if the salmon business is in for an "extremely" difficult period. On the plus side tuna prices are lower and there should be better supplies of lemon soles shortly..
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