Supplies of Russian fish products to Germany and France, 8M2026

Industry Economic

October 29th, 2026

According to an analysis of Eurostat data, Germany remains the largest buyer of Russian fish in the EU. In the first eight months of 2026, Russian fish exports to Germany increased by 11% in volume (from 70,400 to 78,100 tons) and by 42% in value (from €189.7 million to €268.6 million). France also increased its purchases: revenue increased by 41% from €75 million to €105.5 million, while volume increased by 21% (from 20,300 to 24,500 tonnes).

France and Germany are exceptions to the overall decline in Russian fish supplies to the EU: over the first eight months, they decreased by 9% (from 142,700 to 130,400 tonnes).

Germany

Fresh pollock products make up the bulk of supplies to Germany. The main increase came from frozen pollock fillets: volume increased by 13% (from 60,100 to 67,800 tonnes), while value increased by 41% (from €144.2 million to €202.8 million).

Cod was the second factor driving growth in the German market. Its shipments increased by almost a quarter (+23%; from 2,500 to 3,100 tons), and the value increased by 1.8 times (+78%; from 20 million to 35.5 million euros). Shipments of frozen cod fillets increased by 8% from 2,200 to 2,400 tons, and the value increased by 1.5 times (+51%; from 15.7 million to 23.7 million euros). Dried cod showed even higher growth: volume increased by 2.2 times (+123.6%; from 324 to 724 tons), and the value by 2.8 times (+177.8%; from 4.3 million to 11.9 million euros).

France

About 87% of Russian fish shipments to France are pollock and cod. The main driver of growth was frozen pollock fillets: volume increased by more than a third (+37%; from 12,100 to 16,700 tonnes), and value increased by 1.6 times (+62%; from €32.4 million to €52.4 million).

Cod volume increased by 20%, from 2,300 to 2,800 tonnes, and value increased by 1.7 times (+72%; from €15.8 million to €27.2 million). Frozen cod fillets drove growth: volume increased by 50% from 1,600 to 2,400 tonnes, while value doubled (+105%; from €11.9 million to €24.3 million).

Exports to other EU countries fell almost in half, from 52,000 to 27,800 tonnes, including to Poland, from 14,200 to 6,300 tonnes.

Overall, increasing supplies to global markets remains an extremely challenging task for Russian fish exporters. Increased volumes in certain destinations (such as Germany, France, or China) are accompanied by declines in other markets due to protective duties and other unfriendly restrictions, or complete blocking of Russian fish imports (as in the US market).

At the same time, the domestic market is fully met (self-sufficiency exceeded 120% by the end of 2025), with supply diversification achieved through the development of deep-processed products. Over the first eight months, production of key types of these products increased by 1.9%.