Turkish Salmon – The Black Sea’s New Rose-Coloured Gold

21 Jun 2025 GS 3 Economy
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Turkey’s salmon farming industry, especially in the Black Sea, has seen exponential growth in recent years. Key highlights:

  • National Export Value: In 2023, Turkey exported over 78,000 tonnes of farmed trout (branded as “Turkish salmon”), earning $498 million.

  • Main Markets:

    • Russia (74.1%) is the top importer, benefitting from its ban on Norwegian salmon since 2014.

    • Followed by Vietnam (6%), then Belarus, Germany, and Japan.

  • Production Process:

    • Fish are first grown in inland reservoirs, then transferred to submerged sea cages in the Black Sea.

    • The cooler temperatures (Oct–June) help them grow to 2.5–3 kg at harvest.

  • Competitive Edge:

    • Turkish salmon is 15–20% cheaper than Norwegian salmon, attracting cost-conscious global buyers.

  • Challenges: Despite booming exports, concerns persist over intensive aquaculture practices.


Global Leaders in Salmon Production

  • Top Producers:

    • Norway: The largest global producer and exporter of farmed salmon.

      • In 2020, exported 1.1 million tons worth USD 8.3 billion.

    • Chile: The second-largest producer, with a major share in global farmed salmon output.

  • Other Producers: Countries in the European Union, Asia, and Latin America also contribute to salmon farming but on a smaller scale.

  • Wild-Caught Salmon:

    • Significant supply also comes from natural fisheries, especially in Alaska and Russia.


India does not produce farmed Atlantic or Pacific salmon domestically due to unsuitable warm-water conditions—true salmon require cold-water environments (4–15 °C). 

Indian "salmon":

  • Locally available rawas (seer fish) is often marketed as "Indian salmon", but it's biologically different from Atlantic and Pacific salmon



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