Each Portuguese person eats, on average, around 15 kilograms (kg) of cod per year, especially during the Christmas season, a number that has remained stable, according to data provided by the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC).
The value “is stable at around 15 kg ‘per capita'”, announced the director of the NSC for Portugal, Trond Rismo, in response to Lusa.
Despite noting that the year-to-date numbers are not yet finalized, the NSC highlighted that this number is not expected to decrease.
The Christmas season alone represents 30% of total cod consumption.
Last year, the Portuguese ate around eight tons of cod at Christmas.
Exports of salted and dried cod (whole) from Norway to Portugal reached 17,915 tons this year, a drop of 15% compared to 2022, but the price rose 16%.
In turn, salted cod exports stood at 17,836 tonnes, down 4%, with the price increasing 24%, while frozen cod exports fell 7% to 2,877 tonnes, with the respective value also rising 24%.
Exports of fresh/chilled cod from Norway to Portugal totaled 922 tonnes, which translated into a decrease of 63%, but the price increased by 30%.
“With regard to cod, this year started with high prices and then, with zero VAT [Value Added Tax] in April, consumption improved. After the summer, prices fell to the same levels as last year and consumption seems positive”, said Trond Rismo.
However, the director of the NSC for Portugal said that the Portuguese are opting for smaller fish, which may have to do with price, but also with supply, given that more smaller caliber fish have been exported.
Trond Rismo said it was difficult to predict how consumption would evolve next year, but noted that the end of zero VAT “will certainly” affect the price for the consumer and, consequently, consumption.
“In Norway, the [fishing] quota will decrease by 20% next year, which also means there will be less fish available for the markets. This could also affect the price, but the Portuguese market is so important that I believe the The Norway-Portugal partnership with regard to cod trade will continue to be strong”, he concluded.
NSC is a public company belonging to the Norwegian Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Fisheries.