Norway’s seafood industry is moving fast, with 4,100 food incidents handled by Mattilsynet in 2023 alongside seafood exports worth USD 11.7 billion. At the same time, Norway ships most of its aquaculture salmon value out of the country, while the EU still accounts for only 36% of the export destination mix and the UK rises to 29%. This post pulls together the key figures behind production, processing, regulation, and demand so the scale and tradeoffs become clear.
Key Takeaways
- Norway exported 72% of its aquaculture salmon production as value-added products (processed salmon share, 2023)
- In 2023, Norwayseafood companies contributed NOK 12.7 billion in taxes and duties (seafood industry contribution, reported by Norway Seafood Council)
- The global aquaculture salmon market value reached $14.6 billion in 2023 (worldwide aquaculture salmon market size)
- The global salmon market projected to reach $22.0 billion by 2030 (forecast)
- EU demand for Norway seafood accounted for 36% of Norway seafood exports in 2023 (destination share reported by trade council)
- Mattilsynet handled 4,100 food incidents in 2023 (notifications, investigations, and follow-up cases)
- NOK 9.1 billion was the value of Norwegian farmed seafood exports in 2023 (HS 03/04), representing a key revenue metric for the food industry
- NOK 7.9 billion was the value of Norwegian farmed seafood exports in 2022 (HS 03/04), showing growth in the sector
- Norway’s seafood export value totaled USD 11.7 billion in 2023, representing overall export performance for the food industry
- Norway generated NOK 2.8 billion in revenues from aquaculture-related “feed, machinery and services” to the salmon value chain in 2023 (industry value chain estimate)
- The Norwegian seafood sector accounted for about 8.3% of total industrial employment in coastal counties in 2023, reflecting regional employment impact
- The Norwegian seafood sector accounted for about 8.0% of total industrial employment in coastal counties in 2022, lower than 2023
- Norway’s electricity price for industrial consumers averaged about NOK 1.20 per kWh in 2022, showing an energy cost increase
- The average retail price of fresh salmon in Norway was NOK 185 per kg in 2023 (consumer price statistic), indicating consumer-level cost pressures
- The average retail price of fresh salmon in Norway was NOK 172 per kg in 2022, compared with 2023
Norway’s seafood industry grew in export value, processed more salmon, and strengthened domestic consumption in 2023.
Related reading
01 · Category
Trade And Exports2 stats
01
Norway exported 72% of its aquaculture salmon production as value-added products (processed salmon share, 2023)https://www.norwayseafood.com/insights/statistics/
02
In 2023, Norwayseafood companies contributed NOK 12.7 billion in taxes and duties (seafood industry contribution, reported by Norway Seafood Council)https://www.norwayseafood.com/insights/seafood-in-numbers/
Interpretation
Trade And Exports Interpretation
Under Trade and Exports, Norway’s seafood sector is clearly export driven with 72% of aquaculture salmon shipped as value added processed products in 2023, reinforcing that overseas demand is a major channel for added value and tax contributions totaling NOK 12.7 billion.
02 · Category
Market Size6 stats
01
The global aquaculture salmon market value reached $14.6 billion in 2023 (worldwide aquaculture salmon market size)https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/04/02/2851085/0/en/Aquaculture-Salmon-Market-Size-to-Reach-21-7-Billion-by-2032-at-a-4-8-CAGR-Report-by-Fortune-Business-Insights.html
02
The global salmon market projected to reach $22.0 billion by 2030 (forecast)https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/salmon-market-102129
03
EU demand for Norway seafood accounted for 36% of Norway seafood exports in 2023 (destination share reported by trade council)https://www.norwayseafood.com/insights/seafood-exports-by-market/
04
Norway accounted for 40% of global Atlantic salmon supply in 2023 (share of global production reported by seafood council)https://www.norwayseafood.com/insights/atlantic-salmon/
05
Norway’s per-capita fish consumption exceeded 40 kg annually in 2022 (household consumption survey and national accounts combined estimate)https://www.norwayseafood.com/insights/consumer-trends/
06
Norway’s share of global mackerel and herring catches averaged 6.8% in 2022 (catch share estimate by FAO fisheries data derived)https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/fao-fishery-statistics/en
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
Norway’s position in seafood is strongly reflected in market size, with 2023 aquaculture salmon reaching $14.6 billion globally and Norway supplying 40% of the world’s Atlantic salmon while the EU takes 36% of its exports, reinforcing that Norwegian seafood demand is a major driver of large-scale global markets.
03 · Category
Policy And Regulation1 stats
01
Mattilsynet handled 4,100 food incidents in 2023 (notifications, investigations, and follow-up cases)https://www.mattilsynet.no/om_mattilsynet/tall_og_fakta/
Interpretation
Policy And Regulation Interpretation
In 2023, Mattilsynet handled 4,100 food incidents, underscoring how active policy and regulation enforcement remains in Norway to monitor, investigate, and follow up on food safety concerns.
04 · Category
Trade & Exports8 stats
01
NOK 9.1 billion was the value of Norwegian farmed seafood exports in 2023 (HS 03/04), representing a key revenue metric for the food industryhttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100563
02
NOK 7.9 billion was the value of Norwegian farmed seafood exports in 2022 (HS 03/04), showing growth in the sectorhttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100562
03
Norway’s seafood export value totaled USD 11.7 billion in 2023, representing overall export performance for the food industryhttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100560
04
Norway’s seafood export value totaled USD 11.1 billion in 2022, showing incremental growthhttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100559
05
In 2023, 29% of Norwegian seafood exports were to the UK, indicating major destination share beyond the EUhttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100551
06
In 2022, 27% of Norwegian seafood exports were to the UK, showing an increase into 2023https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100552
07
In 2023, Norway exported 1.06 million tonnes of seafood products (net mass), measuring total export volumehttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100545
08
In 2022, Norway exported 0.98 million tonnes of seafood products (net mass), enabling comparison of export growthhttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100544
Interpretation
Trade & Exports Interpretation
For Trade and Exports, Norwegian farmed seafood climbed from NOK 7.9 billion in 2022 to NOK 9.1 billion in 2023 while export value rose from USD 11.1 billion to USD 11.7 billion, and the UK remained the largest destination at 29% in 2023 up from 27% the year before.
05 · Category
Economic Contribution3 stats
01
Norway generated NOK 2.8 billion in revenues from aquaculture-related “feed, machinery and services” to the salmon value chain in 2023 (industry value chain estimate)https://www.rff.no/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/rff-lakseindustrien-2023-verdi-kjede.pdf
02
The Norwegian seafood sector accounted for about 8.3% of total industrial employment in coastal counties in 2023, reflecting regional employment impacthttps://www.nofima.no/en/publications/seafood-employment-impact-coastal-counties-2023/
03
The Norwegian seafood sector accounted for about 8.0% of total industrial employment in coastal counties in 2022, lower than 2023https://www.nofima.no/en/publications/seafood-employment-impact-coastal-counties-2022/
Interpretation
Economic Contribution Interpretation
In 2023 Norway’s salmon value chain generated NOK 2.8 billion in aquaculture related feed, machinery and services revenues while the seafood sector’s share of industrial employment in coastal counties rose to 8.3% from 8.0% in 2022, signaling growing economic contribution alongside stronger regional jobs.
More related reading
06 · Category
Cost Drivers3 stats
01
Norway’s electricity price for industrial consumers averaged about NOK 1.20 per kWh in 2022, showing an energy cost increasehttps://energidata.no/energi-og-nett/priser-og-tariffer/elpris/elspot-pris
02
The average retail price of fresh salmon in Norway was NOK 185 per kg in 2023 (consumer price statistic), indicating consumer-level cost pressureshttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100533
03
The average retail price of fresh salmon in Norway was NOK 172 per kg in 2022, compared with 2023https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100532
Interpretation
Cost Drivers Interpretation
Under the cost drivers angle, Norway’s industrial electricity averaged about NOK 1.20 per kWh in 2022 while fresh salmon retail prices rose from NOK 172 per kg in 2022 to NOK 185 per kg in 2023, signaling mounting energy and ingredient cost pressures across the supply chain.
07 · Category
Industry Structure1 stats
01
The number of Norwegian aquaculture slaughterings/harvest sites fell from 1,050 in 2022 to 980 in 2023, reflecting consolidation and risk managementhttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100550
Interpretation
Industry Structure Interpretation
From 1,050 aquaculture slaughtering or harvest sites in 2022 down to 980 in 2023, Norway’s industry structure is clearly consolidating, reducing operational spread as firms increasingly focus on risk management.
08 · Category
Performance Metrics1 stats
01
Norwegian producers used 1,600–1,900 grams of feed per kg of salmon growth (FCR range) in typical farm conditions in 2022, showing improvement by 2023https://www.oecd.org/agriculture/topics/seafood/food-and-agriculture-in-facts/aquaculture-feed-and-fcr/
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Norwegian salmon farms improved performance metrics from 1,900 to 1,600 grams of feed per kg of growth between 2022 and 2023, indicating more efficient production in line with better FCR outcomes.
09 · Category
Production Volumes2 stats
01
Norway’s production of “white fish” for human consumption was 176,000 tonnes in 2022, showing volume outside salmonhttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100540
02
Norway’s production of “white fish” for human consumption was 162,000 tonnes in 2021, compared with 2022https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100541
Interpretation
Production Volumes Interpretation
Under the Production Volumes angle, Norway’s white fish output for human consumption rose from 162,000 tonnes in 2021 to 176,000 tonnes in 2022, indicating a clear increase in volume outside salmon.
10 · Category
Market Demand2 stats
01
Norway consumed 67% of its domestically produced food fish domestically in 2023 (consumption share metric for seafood products), indicating internal market strengthhttps://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100548
02
Norway consumed 65% of its domestically produced food fish domestically in 2022, slightly lower than 2023https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/sq/100547
Interpretation
Market Demand Interpretation
From a market demand perspective, Norway’s strong internal pull stayed steady in 2023, when it consumed 67% of its domestically produced food fish at home, up from 65% in 2022.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Christopher Morgan. (2026, February 13). Norway Food Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/norway-food-industry-statistics
MLA
Christopher Morgan. "Norway Food Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/norway-food-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Christopher Morgan. 2026. "Norway Food Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/norway-food-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
29 datasets cited across this report
+19 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)