Italy Sees Sharp Decline in Fish Sales in Q1-24, Imports Remained Stable

During Q1-24, the fish sales volume in Italy was around 13 thousand metric tons (mt), registering a decrease of 22.9% year-on-year (YoY). The monetary value of initial sales also experienced a significant decline, falling below USD 75.22 million from nearly USD 85.97 million in Q1-23, a reduction of 19.5% YoY. The sales decrease affected almost all major commercial species, with particularly sharp drops for clams (-31% in quantity), hake (-41.7%), octopus (-37.3%), and anchovies (-18.8%). At the same time, the importation of fish products in Italy continued to play a crucial role in meeting domestic demand, with a slight increase compared to the previous year. Despite the contraction in domestic sales, the Italian market showed resilience in maintaining a stable supply of fish products through imports.