Market Trends of north america frozen and canned seafood Industry
Rising demand and advancements in technologies are helping production growth
- The US is the leading fish producer in North America, followed by Mexico. Salmon is the most produced in the region. However, advances in technology, aquaculture feeds, and management techniques are making more species available. Marine aquaculture accounts for 7% of total domestic seafood production by weight. However, the focus on high-value products has resulted in growth in aquaculture, contributing 24% of the value of domestic seafood products.
- In Canada, the production value grew from USD 234 million to USD 1.3 billion, while the production volume grew from roughly 50,000 tons to 191,000 tons from 1991 to 2021. Industry production is primarily represented by finfish, which accounted for 78% of total volume and 91% by value in 2021. The majority of finfish production, by both volume and value, is salmon. In 2021, salmon production alone accounted for 63% of the total volume and 74% of total value. British Columbia remains the largest producer of salmon, accounting for 50% of total volume and 55% of total value in 2021. British Columbia is followed by New Brunswick (16% of volume and 19% of value), Prince-Edward-Island (13% of volume and 4% of value), and Newfoundland and Labrador (10% of volume and 11% of value).
- Mexico has enormous potential in the fisheries sector, as it has 11,592 km of coastline, of which 76% is on the Pacific coast, and 24% is in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean coast and islands. Its continental shelf is approximately 394 000 km², being larger in the Gulf of Mexico. It also has 12 500 km² of coastal lagoons and estuaries and 6 500 km² of inland waters such as lakes, lagoons, reservoirs, and rivers. The tuna fisheries in the Pacific are significant, with around 150,000 tons per year. Yellowfin is the main species in the tuna family.
Supply shortage and economic instability are impacting the prices in Canada and Mexico
- The average fish prices in the region grew by 0.96% in 2022 compared to the previous year. In the United States, the price of seafood was the highest, accounting for around USD 2443/ton in 2022. Average seafood prices generally increased over the study period; however, the rate showed a decreasing trend in the years before the pandemic. For fish products sold with weight information, prices increased by more than 2.2% in 2021 and another 5% in 2022. For products sold without weight information, the trend in prices and percentage changes in price was similar, but with lower average prices and a wider range of growth rate values. Tuna and catfish saw the highest growth in price from 2016 to 2021. In the United States, catfish saw a growth of 21% in prices, costing around USD 12.38/kg, while tuna experienced 18% price growth in the same period with a retail price of USD 13/kg.
- In Canada, fish prices increased by 14.63% from 2017 to 2022. Due to overfishing and bycatch, the supply of fish fell, and fish prices increased. Canada produces some of the most popular seafood globally, and a majority of fish is exported. Fish prices in Canada increased due to supply shortages due to the increasing demand from international trade.
- According to the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook, average nominal fish prices will increase over 2022-2031, starting from a high level in 2022, reflecting a strong price recovery in 2022 from COVID-driven declines in 2020 and 2021. In late 2021 and early 2022, fish prices started to increase, with a negative impact on consumption due to an unstable economic and geopolitical situation in the region.
OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- Growing demand and rising production costs are leading to price hikes
- Innovations in methods and initiatives from government bodies are boosting the production