Russia’s Herring Exports Increased Six-Fold In January

The Russian Agriculture Ministry’s Agroexport centre has stated that Russia increased its exports of frozen herring sixfold year-on-year to over 31,000 tonnes in January 2025. China was the main purchaser of the product, accounting for 42% of all exports. South Korea at 31% and Nigeria at 27% rounded out the top three importers of Russia’s frozen herring.

Russia became the world’s largest supplier of herring from 2023, with the Pacific catch surging by 57% to 187,500 tonnes, attributed to a 104% increase in exports to China. This surge has helped Russian fishermen outperform their Norwegian counterparts, who saw a 22% drop in herring exports, mainly to the EU as European demand has decreased amongst rising fuel prices and consumer inflationary pressures.

Besides China, Russia has also noticed significant growth in herring supplies to Nigeria and other African markets. With the global herring market estimated at being worth about US$700 million, Russia’s share is 27%, primarily from the Pacific. Catching 406,200 tons of Pacific herring, 74,100 tons of Atlantic herring, and 24,500 tons of Baltic herring in 2024, Russia has managed to satisfy both its domestic and international demand. Herring remains a popular choice among global consumer markets as the fish can be prepared in many different ways.