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April Seafood Import Report Indicates 40% Decline in American Pollack Surimi

June 3, 2008

According to the April results of imported fishery products summarized by
the Japan Marine Products Importers Association, the total quantity of imported
fishery products was 259,198 tons with an increase of .4% from the previous
year, which amounted to 138.9 billion yen with a .1% loss.

Frozen Salmon and trout, mainly Chilean coho salmon, significantly
increased; on the other hand, pollack surimi, unagi products, as well as yellowfin
tuna drastically dropped. The overall average unit price was 538 yen/kg,
remaining unchanged at the same period of the last year. The unit price of
pollack surimi, with its quantity decreasing by 40%, skyrocketed up to 70%. On
the contrary, the unit prices of salmon and trout dropped by 30%.

As far as tuna is concerned, big-eyed tuna greatly increased by 41.3%
amounting to 12,300 tons and yellowfin tuna was 4,800 tons with a 26% decline.
Salmon and trout made a dramatic increase of 62.9%, totaling 29,100 tons.

Chilean coho salmon steeply went up by 180%, amounting to 16,200 tons
and Chilean trout was 4,800 tons up by 21%; the unit prices were 324 yen down
by 31% and 343 yen down by 32%, respectively. American pollack surimi was
9,860 tons with a 39% decline, however its unit price rose up to 441 yen with a
71% increase.

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