Hokkaido Scallop Output in Japan Drops by 22%, Export Average Price Surges 29% to a Record‑High Level

The 2026 fishing season got off to a weak start for the Okhotsk region of Hokkaido, Japan’s largest scallop‑producing area. By the end of July, cumulative landings stood at 113,431 tonnes, a year‑on‑year decrease of 22%, fulfilling only 53% of the annual target. This marks the second consecutive year of falling catches in the region.

The Okhotsk production zone is split into northern and southern segments. The northern Sōya area recorded cumulative landings of 50,261 tonnes, down 17% year‑on‑year, while the southern Kitami area posted 63,170 tonnes with a steeper 25% drop. Contraction in output from both core producing areas has directly tightened Japan’s overall raw scallop supply.

Landings in July totalled approximately 54,400 tonnes, representing a modest 3% year‑on‑year rise. Fishery associations attributed this improvement to stable sea conditions, more fishing days at sea and better shell growth compared with last year, leading to heavier individual scallop weights. Nevertheless, fishery cooperatives hold divided views on whether this monthly rebound can be sustained. The Sōya Fishery Association expects final output to exceed its annual target of 23,800 tonnes despite an earlier decline in meat yield. By contrast, the Saruru Fishery Association forecasts final landings will fall 10‑20% short of the plan due to slowing scallop growth.

Tight raw‑material supply has driven up landing prices. Recent settlement prices for in‑shell scallops range from over 300 to more than 500 yen per kilogram (equivalent to roughly 2‑3.3 US dollars), climbing 30‑60% year‑on‑year. The core driver behind price hikes is the strong market for frozen scallop adductors, locally known as gyorei, the region’s primary processed product. Current meat yield generally ranges from 10% to 11%, reaching 12‑13% in some fishing grounds. Processed output is largely dominated by small‑size 5S adductors, while some producing areas mainly yield 3S and 4S grades.

Japan’s frozen scallop adductor exports have fallen for two straight years. In the first half of 2026, exports totalled 5,705 tonnes, down 14% year‑on‑year. Yet the average export price jumped to 5,005 yen per kilogram (around 32.3 US dollars), a 29% year‑on‑year increase and nearly double the figure for the same period in 2024.

The United States remains Japan’s top export market for frozen scallop adductors. H1 exports to the US hit 918 tonnes worth 7.03 billion yen (approximately 45.4 million US dollars), with an average unit price of 7,657 yen per kilogram (about 49.4 US dollars), higher than 6,020 yen in the prior‑year period. June exports to the US stood at 131 tonnes, rising 39% year‑on‑year, and the average price soared to 7,753 yen per kilogram (roughly 49.7 US dollars), up 72% — second only to South Korea among Japan’s key export destinations.

Frozen in‑shell scallop exports saw both higher volume and prices. In the first half of 2026, exports reached 10,855 tonnes, a 28% year‑on‑year gain. The average export price rose from 577 yen per kilogram a year earlier to 617 yen per kilogram (around 4 US dollars), compared with merely 295 yen per kilogram in H1 2024, almost doubling within two years.

Vietnam continues to be the leading destination for Japan’s frozen in‑shell scallop exports. In the first half of the year, Vietnam imported 8,708 tonnes valued at 5.33 billion yen (roughly 34.4 million US dollars), accounting for roughly 80% of Japan’s total frozen in‑shell scallop exports. The average price for shipments to Vietnam climbed from 565 yen to 612 yen per kilogram. June exports to Vietnam totalled 1,325 tonnes, down 12% year‑on‑year, with the average price advancing 14% to 581 yen per kilogram.

A seafood distributor in Tokyo noted that orders for frozen scallop adductors persist, though the early‑year buying frenzy has faded. S‑ to 3S‑grade products are most sought‑after in export markets, while large‑size 2L grades face weakening prices. Current quotations from primary Tokyo wholesalers are as follows: 3S at 7,000‑7,100 yen per kilogram (about 45‑46 US dollars), S‑grade at 8,500 yen, M‑grade at 8,200 yen and L‑grade at 8,500 yen. The traditional pricing pattern purely based on scallop size has been disrupted, with order demand for specific grades carrying growing weight in price setting.

Some market participants anticipate price softening for boiled scallops, in‑shell scallops and Chinese small scallops. Even so, prices stay at elevated levels amid thin trading; buyers are generally holding off on purchasing until the final output of the fishing season becomes clear. Prices for frozen scallop adductors once neared 10,000 yen per kilogram and have since receded but remain far above levels seen in previous corresponding periods.

Vietnam’s position as the top transit market for Japanese in‑shell scallops has further strengthened, while US‑market acceptance of high‑priced Japanese scallop adductors remains to be tested. For Chinese scallop‑processing and trading enterprises, persistently high raw‑material prices for Japanese scallops raise cost pressures for importing Japanese in‑shell raw materials for further processing and re‑export. Meanwhile, this opens up competitive opportunities for domestically‑processed Chinese scallop products within the Japanese market.

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