Australian Salmon Guide

• There has been a rise in large vertically integrated companies with direct ownership of production activities including hatcheries, fish processing and exporting. 

• In 2020, about half of salmon production was wild caught and half aquaculture.
•  Aquaculture production is soon to exceed wild caught production.

• Once harvested, the fish are slaughtered, gutted, and graded – this is HOG (head on, gutted) form.

• From here, if of superior quality, salmon is exported fresh/chilled.

• For lower quality salmon, they are sent to secondary processing.
  
• However, very little value-added processing of fish products occurs in Australia for either export or domestic markets.
  
•  Most businesses undertake only basic processing, such as cleaning, filleting, chilling, freezing and packaging.

• About 80% of salmon exports are sent via air freight. 

In 2021, more than half of Australia's fresh salmon exports went to China (51%). China was followed by Indonesia, with 10%, Japan, with 9%, Thailand, with 8%, Viet Nam, with 7%, and the US, with 4%. 

Salmon from Australia is Atlantic Salmon.

• Fresh wild caught salmon is typically available in the spring and summer months.

• Fresh farmed (aquaculture) salmon and frozen salmon is available year round.

• Australia is the world’s 8th largest fresh or chilled Atlantic Salmon exporter but only makes up 2% of the global export market.

• The 2 largest exporters, Norway and Sweden, make up 47% and 22% of the export market, respectively.

• The 3rd largest exporter, the UK, lags far behind, making up only 6% of the export market.

• Tasmania’s Atlantic Salmon Industry is Australia’s most valuable seafood sector, with a production of about 62 thousand mt in 2020.

Australian salmon exports typically remain subdued during the first months of the year, to begin recovering in July-August, reaching their peak in November through January. 

• A significant portion of Australian production is exported, rather than used to supply the domestic market due to price.

• About 35% of salmon production is sent to the export market, typically the export spot market.
  
• Only about 6% of export revenue comes from contracted volume in Asia

• Australian salmon exports almost doubled in value in 2020 and then grew over 40% in 2021. 
  
• Increased exports to China, Indonesia and Thailand drove most of 2021's increase. 

• During the first half of 2022, exports increased by 49% compared with the corresponding period of last year.

• One of the most significant threats to Australian seafood exporters is the current lack of market diversification – there is too much dependence upon a few Asian markets (mainly China)