The overall value of exported fresh or chilled salmon grew by an average 45.4% for all exporting countries since 2020 when worldwide shipments of salmon were valued at $12.1 billion.
Year over year, total exports of salmon flatlined thanks to a -0.5% slowdown starting from $17.7 billion in 2023.
The 5 major exporters of fresh or chilled salmon are Norway, Sweden, Chile, United Kingdom and Canada. Combined, that leading quintet of exporters provided 83.8% of international sales of salmon during 2024, down from 86.1% one year prior.
Among continents, European countries sold the highest dollar worth of exported fresh or chilled salmon during 2024 with shipments valued at $15.2 billion or 87% of the global total. In second place were Latin American exporters at 6.7% including the Caribbean. Another 4.5% of international salmon sales originated from North America.
Smaller percentages came from exporters in Oceania (1.7%) mostly Australia, Asia (0.1%), then Africa (0.002%).
There are 2 major categories of fresh or chilled salmon exports, namely:
- Atlantic or Danube salmon: $17.3 billion (98.9% of global total); and
- Pacific salmon: $190 million (1.1%)
Shifting focus to salmon imports, the 5 leading buyers of fresh or chilled salmon on global markets are Sweden, Poland, United States of America, France and mainland China. That cohort of main buyers of salmon on international markets consumed well over half (54.2%) of imported salmon during 2024.
The top 5 countries’ percentage is much more concentrated for exporter countries compared to major importer nations. This is partly because there are over twice as many importing countries, islands and territories as opposed to exporting entities. Specifically, there are about 150 importers compared to around 65 export countries.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 030214 for exported and imported fresh or chilled Atlantic and Danube salmon. The code prefix for fresh or chilled Pacific salmon is 030213.
In addition, presented near the bottom of this article are key statistics for exports and imports for prepared or preserved salmon whether whole or in pieces. The HTS code is 160411 for these forms of processed salmon.
Top Fresh or Chilled Salmon Exports by Country
Below are the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh or chilled salmon during 2024.
- Norway: US$8.1 billion (46.2% of total salmon exports)
- Sweden: $3.7 billion (21%)
- Chile: $1.2 billion (6.7%)
- United Kingdom: $1.1 billion (6.2%)
- Canada: $667.3 million (3.8%)
- Faroe Islands: $630 million (3.6%)
- Denmark: $614.6 million (3.5%)
- Iceland: $310.1 million (1.8%)
- Australia: $215.8 million (1.2%)
- Finland: $194.1 million (1.1%)
- Switzerland: $187.7 million (1.1%)
- Netherlands: $187 million (1.1%)
- France: $181.6 million (1%)
- United States: $123.5 million (0.7%)
- Ireland: $93.5 million (0.5%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.5% of globally exported salmon in 2024.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing salmon exporters since 2023 were: Ireland (up 67.5%), United States of America (up 60.5%), Iceland (up 49.7%) and the United Kingdom (up 49.5%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported salmon sales were: Australia (down -17.9% from 2023), Sweden (down -11.8%) and Norway (down -6.6%).
Top Fresh or Chilled Salmon Imports by Country
Worldwide, imported salmon appreciated by 45.7% over the 5-year period starting from $11.5 billion in 2020 to $17 billion in 2024, but retreated by -2.1% year over year from $17.1 billion for 2023.
Below are the 15 most lucrative countries as measured by the highest dollar value worth of spending on imported salmon bought during 2024.
- Sweden: US$3.7 billion (22% of total imported salmon)
- Poland: $1.6 billion (9.4%)
- United States: $1.4 billion (8.5%)
- France: $1.3 billion (8%)
- mainland China: $1.1 billion (6.4%)
- Denmark: $982.8 million (5.9%)
- Brazil: $838.1 million (5%)
- Italy: $692 million (4.1%)
- United Kingdom: $624.6 million (3.7%)
- Spain: $590 million (3.5%)
- Netherlands: $586.4 million (3.5%)
- Germany: $361.9 million (2.2%)
- Finland: $328.5 million (2%)
- South Korea: $268.6 million (1.6%)
- Lithuania: $260.3 million (1.6%)
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 87.3% of globally imported salmon for 2024.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing salmon buyers since 2023 were: Netherlands (up 16.4%), Brazil (up 8.1%), Spain (up 7.3%) and France (up 6.3%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported salmon purchases were led by: Germany (down -14.7% from 2023), Sweden (down -11.4%), Poland (down -5.7%), South Korea (down -2.1%) and the United Kingdom (down -1.5%).
Main Prepared or Preserved Salmon Exports by Country
In addition to fresh or chilled exported salmon, another US$982.8 million worth of prepared or preserved salmon was sold on international trade markets during 2024.
That export amount grew by 1.4% year over year, and appreciated by 17.6% over the 5-year period starting in 2020.
The prepared or preserved salmon dollar metric amounts to just 5.6% of the overall value for globally exported fresh or chilled salmon, up from the 5.5% share for 2023.
Below are the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of prepared or preserved salmon for 2024.
- Poland: US$204.9 million (20.8% of prepared or preserved salmon exports)
- Lithuania: $129.9 million (13.2%)
- Thailand: $99.5 million (10.1%)
- United States: $97.7 million (9.9%)
- Vietnam: $66.9 million (6.8%)
- Denmark: $60.9 million (6.2%)
- Canada: $56.4 million (5.7%)
- Germany: $47.3 million (4.8%)
- Chile: $37.8 million (3.8%)
- mainland China: $30.5 million (3.1%)
- Ireland: $26.2 million (2.7%)
- Belgium: $17.7 million (1.8%)
- France: $17.4 million (1.8%)
- Sweden: $16.7 million (1.7%)
- Netherlands: $13 million (1.3%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 93.9% of global exports for prepared or preserved salmon in 2024.
Among the top exporters of processed salmon, the fastest gainers were Lithuania (up 69.7% from 2023), Chile (up 45.6%), Canada (up 15%) and Poland (down 9.3%).
The severest declines belong to suppliers in Vietnam (down -26.7% from 2023), Netherlands (down -26.1%), United States of America (down -23.6%), Germany (down -18.6%), Ireland (down -16.1%) and Belgium (down -11.1%).
Main Prepared or Preserved Salmon Imports by Country
Besides fresh or chilled imported salmon, a total US$964.9 million worth of prepared or preserved salmon was bought by importers in 2024. That dollar amount reflects a -1% reduction from $975 million in 2023, and a -2.1% slowdown over the five-year period starting from $985.3 million for 2020.
The dollar amount for imported prepared or preserved salmon equals 5.8% of the overall value for globally imported fresh or chilled salmon. That percentage exceeds the 5.7% share for 2023.
Below are the top 15 import countries that spent the most on prepared or preserved salmon in 2024.
- Germany: US$259.5 million (26.9% of prepared or preserved salmon imports)
- United States: $116.9 million (12.1%)
- Japan: $92.9 million (9.6%)
- United Kingdom: $85.4 million (8.8%)
- Canada: $57.9 million (6%)
- France: $53 million (5.5%)
- Australia: $41.8 million (4.3%)
- Italy: $25.9 million (2.7%)
- Belgium: $24.9 million (2.6%)
- Denmark: $22.4 million (2.3%)
- Sweden: $20.1 million (2.1%)
- Netherlands: $16.2 million (1.7%)
- Switzerland: $14.9 million (1.5%)
- Taiwan: $14.1 million (1.5%)
- Mexico: $9.1 million (0.9%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 88.6% of globally imported prepared or preserved salmon during 2024.
Among the major importers of processed salmon, the greatest percentage increases belong to buyers in Mexico (up 3,176% from 2023), Netherlands (up 75.7%), Denmark (up 34.2%), France (up 28.4%) then the United Kingdom (up 10.7%).
Posting double-digit declines year over year were importers in Canada (down -40.7% from 2023), Belgium (down -16.2%), Italy (down -12.7%) and Japan (down -10%).
See also Frozen Fish Exports by Country, Top Caviar Export Sales by Country, Unit Price & Weight, Oranges Exports by Country, Best Tofu Exports by Sales, Average Unit Prices & Weight and Top Vitamins Exports & Imports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 17, 2025
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 17, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 17, 2025
Wikipedia, Salmon. Accessed on May 17, 2025