Hokkaido, Japan, has seen a 21% drop in autumn salmon roe production, with prices hitting a 35-year high

According to the Suisan Keizai Shimbun, the production of autumn salmon roe (salmon roe marinated in soy sauce) in Hokkaido, Japan, fell 21% year-on-year to only 1,500 tons in 2024, pushing prices to a record high since 1989. As of November 20, the total catch of autumn salmon in Hokkaido was only 43,600 tons, down 18% year-on-year, the lowest record since the Heisei era. As a result, the average dock price of salmon and salmon roe soared 61% to 988 yen (about US$6.45) per kilogram. Vice President of the Federation of Hokkaido Fisheries Cooperatives The sharp rise in prices has made salmon roe consumption "unpredictable," Takashi Eto said at the Dec. 11 fixed-net fishery promotion conference. The price surge was attributed to strong demand for fresh salmon fillets and roe (salted salmon roe with membrane), driven by last year's lack of inventory. In addition, imports of green roe (unprocessed salmon roe) from the United States and Russia are expected to fall sharply this year due ...