Production of deep-processed fish products in Russia increased by 9.4% in 2024, doubling in seven years

Industry Expertise

March 14th, 2025

The production of the main deep-processed fish products (frozen fish fillets and minced fish, fish meal) in 2024 exceeded half a million tons (529.7 thousand tons), which is 9.4% higher than the 2023 figure, according to Rosstat data analyzed by the Fishery Shipowners Association (FSA).

Over the past seven years, the production of such products has doubled (from 265.4 thousand tons). The growth by 2023 was achieved against the background of a decrease in the overall production of fish products by 4.1% (from 4.44 million tons to 4.25 million tons).

The largest increase is in the production of minced fish. It was achieved due to surimi, the production of which was started in 2021 and is actively growing every year. In 2024, the total production of frozen minced fish amounted to 103.3 thousand tons (including 70.8 thousand tons of surimi), which is 17% higher than the previous year and almost 4 times more than in 2020 (before the start of surimi production). Russian producers plan to more than double surimi production by 2028 - up to 163 thousand tons.

The production of frozen fish fillets amounted to 232.8 thousand tons in 2024, with an increase of 5% compared to 2023. Fillet production returned to the growth phase after a decline in 2023.

Increasing the production of fish fillets and minced fish is one of the ways to increase domestic consumption of fish products, since it is these fish products, practically semi-finished products that do not require complex cutting, that are in demand by the modern consumer. Due to such products, FSA also proposes to expand the menu of state and municipal meals.

Another product of deep fish processing - fish meal - shows an annual stable increase. Its production in 2024 amounted to 193.5 thousand tons, which is 11.2% higher than the 2023 figure. And over the past seven years, production has almost doubled (from 100 thousand tons in 2017).

The growth in the production of fish fillets, minced meat and flour ensures the development of processing at new capacities - coastal enterprises and processing vessels that have been and are being built within the framework of investment quotas.