With China recovering from the coronavirus, its seafood market is also starting to rebound, and recently there has even been an increase in the consumption of some compared with last year. For example, in spite of the contagious disease, its salmon imports from Norway has ballooned by 97% this April to 3,141 tons from the same period last year, which is an unexpected delight.

So what are the reasons for the Asian market’s greater salmon imports in the midst of such an epidemic? This partly results from others’ lower demand for Norway’s salmon, according to Victoria Braathen, China director at the Norway Seafood Council. Under this circumstance, it sells more to this Asian market at lower prices.

Moreover, it has taken quick action to solve any problem along the way, which also helps boost the export. A case in point is obvious reduction in passenger flights between the two countries this February. Facing such a problem, Norway has turned to cargo flights rapidly, and now it has been able to deliver more salmon there smoothly.

Meanwhile, China has also taken various measures like hosting shopping carnivals and giving out coupons to stimulate domestic demand. Restaurants have seen higher revenues, which in turn also pushes upward salmon sales. Without any doubt, the country has become an increasingly important market for salmon suppliers both at home and abroad.

In order to seize opportunities there, some others are also taking more action. Iceland, for example, had been waiting for approval of direct salmon flights to China. Now after getting that, it is to fly salmon to China’s Nanjing and Shanghai on every Wednesday and Friday. Each flight is to carry about 20 to 25 tons, and in the near future there will be about 30 such flights per month.

Moreover, some companies in China have also invested more to expand salmon business. Recently the Oriental Ocean, for example, has imported 0.25 million high-quality salmon roes from Iceland. According to the plan, more are to be imported from countries like Iceland and Norway in this second half year. Seemingly many see this Asian market as a way out in this market downturn.