Russia's salmon caviar production has hit a ten-year record high, according to the All-Russian Association of Fishery Producers.
Between January and October this year, fisheries generated 22,288 tons of this delicacy, marking the largest yield since 2010.
This figure represents a significant production increase of 2.6 times the amount during the same period of 2022.
The industry association attributed the growth to a bountiful salmon fishing season in the Far East. "Our fishermen caught roughly 609,000 tons of Pacific salmon," stated German Zverev, the association’s president, via his Telegram channel.
He further projected that caviar production could surpass 25,000 tons by year's end. This estimate significantly exceeds the average annual consumption in Russia, which has hovered between 15,000 and 20,000 tons over half a decade.
Salmon caviar, a sought-after festive treat in Russia particularly during Christmas and New Year, is sourced from both wild and farmed salmon. Beyond domestic consumption, Russia has historically been a key exporter of this delicacy, with Ukraine, Belarus, the United States and various European countries as principal markets.
However, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and subsequent trade restrictions imposed by the European Union (EU) and the US have dramatically impacted exports. Data from the Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo) reveals a 46 percent drop in international red caviar sales from January to October 2023 compared to the same period last year.