Production of red caviar has plummeted in Russia
Red caviar production in Russia has fallen sharply. Since the beginning of the year, only 2,600 metric tons of the product have entered the domestic market, compared to 7,600 metric tons during the same period last year.
Rosrybolovstvo attributes the decline to a significant reduction in salmonid catches. So far, just over 92,000 metric tons of fish have been harvested, although 227,000 metric tons were forecast at the start of the season.
Market participants are already calling this year’s situation abnormal. Against the backdrop of a raw material shortage, producers are seeing a sharp rise in caviar prices.
Specifically, pink salmon roe has risen in price by 79% over the past year—to 18,600 rubles per kilogram; sockeye salmon roe by 93%, to 17,200 rubles; kizhuch caviar has risen by 13%, to 18,900 rubles, and chum salmon caviar by 36%, to 13,600 rubles.
At the same time, Rosrybolovstvo assures that the domestic market is not at risk of a shortage of red fish and caviar. There are currently no plans to impose export restrictions either.
According to the International Trade Center, last year China supplied approximately 320 metric tons of black caviar to the global market, accounting for 43% of the world’s total volume. In monetary terms, this amounts to approximately $98 million.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff received a whole case of red caviar as a gift in Russia, which he later presented to Donald Trump.
