Norway's salmon exports to China fell amid virus outbreak

Norwegian salmon exports to China fell by a third last week to 240 tonnes, Norway's state-owned seafood marketing organisation said on Thursday.

Norwegian salmon exports to China fell by a third last week to 240 tonnes, Norway's state-owned seafood marketing organization said on Thursday. The 34% decline came as imports of salmon to China were halted towards the end of the week when the novel coronavirus was discovered at stalls processing the fish at a major Beijing wholesale food market.

"It's too early to tell which consequences the new outbreak in Beijing will have for salmon exports in the time ahead," the Norwegian Seafood Council said in a statement. Norway and China have both concluded that the salmon itself was not the source of the virus, Norway's fisheries minister said on Wednesday.