Each Portuguese eats, on average, about 15 kilograms (kg) of cod per year, especially at Christmas time, a figure that has remained stable, according to data provided by the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC).
The figure “is stable at around 15 kg ‘per capita'”, announced the director of the NSC for Portugal, Trond Rismo, in response to Lusa.
Despite pointing out that the year-to-date figures have not yet been finalized, the NSC stressed that this figure is not expected to decrease.
The Christmas season alone accounts for 30% of total cod consumption.
Last year, the Portuguese ate around eight tons of cod for Christmas.
Exports of (whole) salted and dried cod from Norway to Portugal reached 17,915 tons this year, a drop of 15% compared to 2022, but the price rose 16%.
Meanwhile, exports of salted cod stood at 17,836 tons, down 4%, with the price rising 24%, while exports of frozen cod fell 7% to 2,877 tons, with the respective value also rising 24%.
Exports of fresh/chilled cod from Norway to Portugal totaled 922 tons, a decrease of 63%, but the price grew by 30%.
“As far as cod is concerned, 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 looks positive,” said Trond Rismo.
However, the director of the NSC for Portugal said that the Portuguese are opting for smaller fish, which may have something to do with price, but also with supply, given that more smaller 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 consumer prices and, consequently, consumption.
“In Norway, the [fishing] quota will decrease by 20% next year, which also means that 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 Norway-Portugal partnership when it comes to the cod trade will continue to be strong,” he concluded.
NSC is a public company owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.
