As B season winds down, surimi prices edge up
SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton - Sept. 24, 2014
The US Alaska pollock 'B' Season is winding down, with over 95% of the quota caught for both land based plants and catcher processors.
According to NMFS production data, fillet production is 98,275 tons, which is about equal to the total producton last year. The increase is largely due to the larger size of the fish with many being over 800 grams. Surimi is at 96,497 tons and should go slightly higher.
The proportions of surimi and fillet production in the Bering Sea closely match last year, with a slight increase in both products.
With the heavier production of surimi in the B season, some Japanese buyers had hoped for price relief, as they were already dealing with the impact of a weaker currency.
But that never materialized. Hokkaido domestic surimi producton was running at only about 70% of last year...
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