China salmon wholesale prices plunge in single week as Nanjing opens direct Norway cargo route
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China's imported salmon market saw a clear adjustment in week 27 (June 29 to July 5). After the Dragon Boat Festival, consumer enthusiasm cooled, and importers cut quotes one after another to speed up inventory turnover. In the Guangzhou market, the wholesale price of Norwegian Atlantic salmon (大西洋鲑) plunged by 9 yuan/kg within a week, and market transactions weakened noticeably.
At the same time, the cold-chain logistics network from Norway to China continues to improve. On June 26, the direct cargo route from Nanjing to Oslo was officially opened. The first flight carried 88 tonnes of Norwegian salmon to Nanjing, adding a new high-efficiency import channel for the East China market and providing new logistics support for Norwegian salmon to expand in the Chinese market.
Post-holiday demand weakens, Guangzhou wholesale prices fall rapidly
The latest market data show that in week 27, the first-hand wholesale price of 6–7 kg Norwegian fresh chilled gutted Atlantic salmon (HOG) in the Guangzhou market fell by 9 yuan/kg from the previous week, with the decline clearly widening.
As market transactions slowed, quotes for some specifications were temporarily suspended from updating, including products of 5–6 kg specifications in both the Guangzhou and Beijing markets, for which the latest transaction levels were not published.
An importer in Guangzhou said that on June 29 alone, every kilogram of salmon sold meant a loss of about 5 yuan.
Market participants said that after the Dragon Boat Festival, end-user purchasing began to weaken, and prices truly began to fall rapidly in the middle of last week. As inventory pressure increased, many importers took the initiative to lower quotes, hoping to quickly sell through previously arrived products and avoid prolonged storage affecting product quality and sales rhythm.
The current market price decline mainly comes from traders voluntarily giving up margin; it is not a sudden increase in supply, but rather that the pace of consumption recovery has fallen short of previous expectations.
Summer consumption still supported, market awaits demand recovery
Although prices have fallen noticeably recently, the industry still maintains some confidence in summer consumption. After entering the hot season, consumption of cold foods such as sashimi, sushi and salads usually enters its peak season. This year, temperatures in many regions are higher than in the same period in previous years, which is expected to drive purchasing demand for fresh chilled salmon in catering channels and the retail market.
Industry participants believe that as inventories are gradually digested, the market's supply-demand relationship is expected to return to balance, and the range of price fluctuations will also narrow somewhat. However, in the short term, importers will still make inventory reduction their main operating strategy, and market transaction prices still have some room for adjustment.
Nanjing opens direct cargo route to Oslo
On the logistics side, Norwegian salmon has gained an important new transport channel into the Chinese market. On June 26, a Boeing 777F all-cargo aircraft operated by Suparna Airlines took off from Oslo Airport in Norway and arrived at Nanjing Lukou International Airport after more than 9 hours of flight.
The first flight carried a total of 88 tonnes of Norwegian salmon, and this is also the first time the airline has opened a direct cargo route from Oslo to Nanjing.
With the new route in operation, fresh transport time from Northern Europe to East China is further shortened, providing importers in Nanjing and surrounding areas with a faster logistics option, while also helping to improve the freshness and supply efficiency of fresh chilled salmon products.
In recent years, East China has become an important consumer market for domestic imported fresh chilled aquatic products. The opening of the new route will further improve the domestic imported cold-chain network and provide new logistics support for salmon supply in the Yangtze River Delta region.
Norway continues to expand its layout in the Chinese market
China has become one of the fastest-growing markets for Norwegian salmon exports. From February to March this year, the value of Norway's exports of fresh chilled Atlantic salmon to China exceeded USD 100 million for consecutive periods, and the scale of China's imports continued to expand.
At the same time, Norwegian origin prices have also fallen. The latest market data show that the FCA Oslo spot price of Norwegian farmed Atlantic salmon delivered in week 27 continued to decline, with the main commercial specifications of 3–6 kg overall down by about 1 Norwegian krone/kg from the previous week. Although there are some differences in market quotes, most traders believe prices will continue to weaken this week.
The decline in origin prices and the simultaneous fall in wholesale prices in the Chinese market reflect that the international salmon market as a whole has currently entered a phase of adjustment.
China jumps to second-largest market for Norwegian fresh chilled salmon
Since the beginning of this year, China's import demand has maintained growth, and its market position has continued to rise. The latest data show that China has surpassed traditional European consumer markets such as France, the Netherlands and Spain to become the second-largest export market for Norwegian fresh chilled Atlantic salmon (whole fish and fillets) in 2026, second only to the United States.
Industry participants believe that as the logistics network continues to improve and import channels are further optimized, China's position in the global salmon trade will continue to rise. However, in the short term, the pace of recovery in end-user consumption will remain a key factor affecting market price trends, and importers' subsequent purchasing strategies will also place greater emphasis on inventory management and sales rhythm.
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