Key takeaways:
- ‘We had a solid bounce back from the outbreak,’ states Lobster Council of Canada exec.
- Skyrocketing sales of Canadian frozen and processed lobster in the United States during 2021 accounted for the most solid growth in export value.
Lobster sales increased in Canada:
According to recent trade data, the value of Canadian lobster exports beat $3.2 billion the previous year — the most increase ever and almost $700 million higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Skyrocketing sales of Canadian frozen and processed lobster in the United States during 2021 accounted for most of the growth.
“We had an extreme bounce back from the outbreak as individuals consumed premium protein that they purchased in grocery shops. They liked healthy food, safe food, and a treat. So they bought a lobster,” stated Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada, an enterprise trade group.
Statistics Canada adored lobster in 2019 at $2.5 billion for comparison’s sake.
Two years after, the value of live lobster shipped to the most important markets — the United States and China — stayed relatively balanced.
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U.S. deals of frozen and processed lobster
Live exports to the U.S. were $522 million in 2021, likened to $517 million in 2019.
Live exports to China were $454 million in 2021, down narrowly from $457 million in 2019.
The significant change was in frozen and processed lobster deals to the United States, up to $240 million and $300 million, respectively, from 2019.
Irvine stated that frozen products have generally always had just more export value general than life. Prior year the proportion was 61:39.
“I think some of that was pandemic-related in that individuals purchased frozen products at retail and in huge volumes for many other causes,” stated Irvine. “And live lobster usually is a food service product, so fewer people were heading out to diners.
Source – cbc.ca
