Thailand "withstands" the price increase of mackerel: Raw materials are relatively tight, but finished products are not selling.

Published Feb 9, 2026

Tridge summary

Core tip: In early February (sixth week, February 2-8), the price of Skipjack raw materials delivered in Bangkok, Thailand, continued to edge up slightly, rising compared to both last week and last month. However, the market did not form a unanimous expectation of a "smooth acceptance"—multiple canned food processing companies in Thailand are still resisting a steeper price increase, leading to delays in negotiations for February shipment/delivery volumes to this day, with some contracts still in contention.

Original content

The core variable driving price increases remains the inadequate supply side. The fishing activities in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) have remained sluggish, and slow catches should have strengthened the sellers' pricing power, but the reality is more complex: the canned fish market has seen dull transactions, and the end-market sales and channel restocking are not active, directly suppressing buyers' willingness to "chase prices and restock." An industry insider described the current negotiation balance as slightly tilted towards the sellers, but prices are not solely determined by "less fish." External risks and changes in demand structure are deeply influencing the purchasing rhythm. From the transaction details, there is a clear disagreement in the market about the "real transaction range." Multiple sources indicate that small-volume buyers often face larger price differences: small orders may be reported at the upper end of the range or about $20/ton below the ...

Source: Foodmate