Norway's Atlantic salmon export value hits record monthly high in October; rainbow trout export volume falls 15% year-on-year

In October 2026, Norway's Atlantic salmon export value set a new all-time monthly record. Norway exported a total of 159,810 tonnes of Atlantic salmon that month, with a total export value of NOK 13 billion (USD 1.40527 billion); export volume rose 9% year-on-year and export value rose 6% year-on-year, an increase of NOK 734 million (USD 79.34 million). This figure was NOK 264 million (USD 28.54 million) higher than the monthly record just set in September 2026. Poland, the Netherlands and France were the top three destination markets that month.

Poland was the market contributing most to export value growth in October, with export value up NOK 246 million (USD 26.59 million) year-on-year, a rise of 12%; the volume shipped to Poland was 32,664 tonnes, up 15% year-on-year. Cumulative exports of Norwegian Atlantic salmon to Poland in the first 10 months of the year grew 27% to 225,000 tonnes, while export value rose 5% year-on-year to NOK 5.2 billion (USD 562.11 million).

Norwegian Seafood Council market analyst Paul T. Aandahl said that alongside the increase in Norwegian exports to Poland, both domestic consumption and re-exports in Poland are growing: household consumption in Poland has risen 19% so far this year, and the volume re-exported from Poland has grown 10%. Rising purchasing power has made Poland one of the fastest-growing markets for Atlantic salmon consumption in recent years.

In contrast to the salmon segment, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exports trended downward in October. Norway exported 6,954 tonnes of rainbow trout that month, worth NOK 629 million (USD 67.99 million); export value fell 9% year-on-year (a decrease of NOK 64 million, equivalent to USD 6.92 million), and export volume shrank 15% year-on-year. Poland, the United States and Thailand were the top three destinations for Norwegian rainbow trout that month.

Against the backdrop of an overall decline in rainbow trout, Poland stood out with the strongest counter-trend growth: export value to Poland surged 87% year-on-year, an increase of NOK 78 million (USD 8.43 million); export volume jumped 74% year-on-year to 1,935 tonnes.