What is going on with Salmon this year? we're hearing that Seafood Buyers are having a hard time securing inventories of Salmon Shortages seem to be on the Kings, Pinks, Chums and 6-9lb Sockeye out of Alaska & British Columbia Canada Prices for 6-9lb Alaskan Sockeye are hovering around $4.50-$5.60/lb - that’s if you can even get your hands on some 4-6lb Sockeye are in supply and are readily available with prices hovering around $3.65-$4.00/lb This week's topic: What is Going on with Salmon this year? Sources told us roughly 8% of the Sockeye in Alaska were 4-6’s & 90% of Sockeye in Canada are 4-6’s we hearing that supplies of 2-4lb Sockeye and #2's of all sizes are being aggressively bought up by Japanese buyers Where are all the 6-9’s Sockeye Salmon?.... There is speculation that Alaskan processors have been holding onto the supply of 6-9lb Sockeye... There is speculation that Alaskan processors are waiting for the 2014 Fraser River Sockeye run to finish be marketing we're hearing foreign seafood companies with ownership in North America have been snapping up the Sockeye supply ADF&G expected a decrease in the 2014 Commercial Salmon Catch however overall Salmon season has been successful 3/5 of the Salmon species harvested in Alaska exceeded their forecasted amount Alaska Salmon harvest is 42.2 million Sockeye, 83.6 million Pinks, 2.7 million Coho’s, 439,000 Kings 9 million Chums a factor to the Chum Salmon Shortage is that only 45.6% of the Alaskan forecast has been harvested a strong China demand for Alaska Chums has been a factor in the Shortage of Chums in the market the Fraser River Sockeye Fishery has not been living up to expectations - numbers are lower than expected Fraser River Sockeye is still expected to Hit Hard as the fish get higher up the river to date roughly 3.95 million Sockeye have made their way up the river past Mission There were about 225,000 early Stuart-run Sockeye, estimated 2.0 million early Summer-run & 6.0 million Summer-run DFO has not yet estimated how many late Summer-run Fraser River Sockeye there are... in Russia the 2014 Kamchatka Salmon season has officially been announced as closed Total Russian Salmon catch was reported to be 8% lower than 2013 weighing in at 124,000 Metric Tons We are being told that overall it has been an extremely disappointing year for Russian Salmon producers West Kamchatka projected to have a 45,000MT Pink Salmon Run but reported landings were only 7,000MT In Vladivostok, Russia the Salmon market is still in a BUYING FRENZY a Strong Domestic Demand is a factor pressuring the Russian Salmon market Lower Productions is a factor pressuring the Russian Salmon market recent Import Ban on Seafood from North America & Norway is a factor pressuring the Russian Salmon market Semi-dressed Pink Salmon are currently being offered between $1.45 to $1.50 per lb delivered to China H&G Chum Salmon are being offered between $1.90 to $1.95 per lb delivered to China

---Thanks for joining me for the Tradex Foods "3-Minute Market Insight" This is Rob Reierson - “BUY SMART” and “EAT MORE SEAFOOD”

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