Squid Market Report Week 25: Extreme Market Divergence! Peruvian Squid Keeps Falling, Large-Size Argentine Squid Rallies Nonstop

Week 25 of 2026 (Jun 12 – Jun 18) witnessed highly differentiated trends across China’s distant-water squid market. Prices of squid from the Southeast Pacific (Peru) continued to slide; large-sized Argentine squid from the Southwest Atlantic maintained an upward rally; quotations for Northwest Pacific and Indian Ocean squid remained flat. Fishing rhythms, harvest cycles, inventories and resource outlooks vary drastically among producing zones, driving independent price movements for each supply source.

I. Southeast Pacific (Peruvian Squid): Ample Supply Drags Down Prices Across All Sizes

Peruvian squid led market corrections this week. Online trading volume at Zhoushan reached 1,664 tonnes, a mild uptick insufficient to prop up prices.

1. Widespread price cuts for mainstream sizes

   Whole squid, heads and fillets all saw price declines, with 500–1000g small whole squid suffering the sharpest drop, followed by 1000–2000g medium whole squid. Weihai market quotations as of June 18:

2. 300–500g: 14,700 CNY/tonne

3. 500–1000g: 14,000 CNY/tonne

4. 1000–2000g: 13,200 CNY/tonne

5. Core bearish drivers

   Peru raised its annual total squid quota to 539,230 tonnes. Cumulative landings hit 466,964.36 tonnes as of June 18, accounting for 86.6% of the full-year quota. Sustained high daily catches and concentrated import arrivals piled pressure on port inventories.

6. Downside risks

   Nearshore fishing intensity is rising in Peru, while a proposal to expand the fishing fleet by 2,000 vessels awaits review. Favorable high-seas fishing conditions lock in long-term ample supply, leaving room for further price drops for selected sizes in the short run.

II. Southwest Atlantic (Argentine Squid): End of Fishing Season Creates Shortage, Large Sizes Surge

Argentine squid moved in the opposite direction, with non-quota supplies strengthening consistently and sharp gains seen for sizes above 200g.

1. Market quotation range (Weihai, Jun 18)

2. 150–200g: 36,500 CNY/tonne

3. 200–300g: 37,500 CNY/tonne

4. 300–400g & 400–600g: 38,500 CNY/tonne

   Premium large sizes traded at 40,500–41,500 CNY/tonne for 300–400g / 400–600g, and 40,500–42,000 CNY/tonne for sizes over 600g.

5. Bullish fundamentals

   Argentina’s exclusive economic zone squid fishing season has concluded, halting new supply inflows. Continuous destocking of large-size inventories tightened supply and strongly underpinned prices.

6. Long-term policy uncertainty

   A proposal to add 18 new squid fishing vessels has been put forward but rejected by the Federal Fisheries Committee for the time being. It bears no impact on the current season, yet potential capacity expansion poses long-term market risks.

III. Northwest Pacific & Indian Ocean: Flat Trading as Market Stabilizer

No obvious price swings for these two regions, supported by existing inventories and steady order volumes.

1. Northwest Pacific squid

2. Below 300g: 21,000–23,000 CNY/tonne

3. 300–500g: 20,500–25,500 CNY/tonne

4. 500–1000g: 19,100–22,000 CNY/tonne

5. Indian Ocean squid

6. 100–300g: 13,300–15,000 CNY/tonne

7. 300–500g: 12,500–13,500 CNY/tonne

8. 500–1000g: 11,500–12,000 CNY/tonne

9. Over 1000g: 10,500–11,000 CNY/tonne

   Prices stay relatively low to meet mass processing demand with no clear momentum for rises or falls.

IV. Port Arrival Signals: Weekly Shipments Drop, Uneven Impacts Across Varieties

Import volumes of China’s self-fished distant-water squid at Zhoushan Port fell week-on-week in Week 25, slowing arrival rhythms and supporting gradual destocking, though effects differ sharply by source:

• Peruvian squid: Past concentrated arrivals plus persistent high origin catches keep inventory pressure heavy, preventing price stabilization.

• Argentine squid: No new supply post-season; shrinking inventories continuously tighten market fundamentals and sustain firm prices.

V. Market Outlook & Operational Recommendations for Enterprises

Core Market Judgment

1. Central market contradiction: Oversupply pushes Peruvian squid prices down, while season-end shortage lifts large-size Argentine squid prices, forming fully divergent trends for the two core raw materials.

2. Northwest Pacific and Indian Ocean squid remain flat as supplementary supplies with no directional trend.

3. Key tracking indicators going forward: fishing speed against Peru’s remaining quota, domestic port inventory levels, Argentine fishery policies, and destocking pace of large-size Argentine squid.

Sourcing & Procurement Advice

1. Peruvian squid: Only place light replenishment orders based on rigid demand; avoid stockpiling to hedge against further price declines, and prioritize clearing existing inventory.

2. Argentine squid: Lock prices and stock moderately for rigid demand of large sizes; refrain from chasing surging prices for small and medium sizes, and watch out for long-term vessel expansion policy risks.

3. Processing plant cost control: Substitute partial small & medium Peruvian squid with low-cost Northwest Pacific and Indian Ocean supplies to cut raw material expenses.

4. Inventory management: Separate stock tracking by producing zone and size, distinguish high-cost and low-cost lots to avoid losses from mismatched product specifications.

Summary

This week saw extreme structural divergence in the squid market: Peruvian squid weakened on excess supply while large-size Argentine squid strengthened on post-season shortage. This two-tiered pattern will likely persist in the short run. Market participants shall formulate separate purchasing and sales strategies by origin and size, instead of adopting a universal bullish or bearish stance.

Frozen Giant Squid Fillet Skin Off

$17,000.00

Buy Now