Demand for bluefin tuna falls in Japan

According to monthly data from the Japan Fisheries Information Center, the temporary wholesale price of frozen bluefin tuna at the Tokyo central market, including Toyosu, fell to 3,084 yen/kg (domestic and imported fish combined). Wholesalers at Toyosu Market said that "price declines are much greater than in 2008, and the retail market has slowed down." The research center's weekly retail trade report showed that chu-toro sashimi (medium-fat tuna) imported from Malta was selling at 798 yen ($5.32) per 100 grams in Tokyo supermarkets in February. Compared to 1,280 yen in December 2022, the drop is even greater - about 40%. The data shows a sharp decline in the consumption of frozen bluefin fillets from Malta, one of the largest tuna farms in the Mediterranean. The average import price of products in January was 1,963 yen/kg, which is 50% less than last year. A Tokyo-based tuna importer said demand for large cuts of tuna sashimi had slowed in Asia, including Japan, South Korea and ...