Hokkaido scallop output in Japan fell by 22%, and its average export price surged by 29% to a record high

The 2026 fishing season got off to a poor start in the Okhotsk region of Hokkaido, Japan’s largest scallop‑producing area. By the end of July, cumulative landings stood at 113,431 tonnes, down 22 percent year‑on‑year and fulfilling only 53 percent 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 Soya area recorded cumulative landings of 50,261 tonnes, a 17‑percent year‑on‑year decline, while the southern Kitami area posted 63,170 tonnes with a steeper drop of 25 percent. Simultaneous output contraction across the two core producing areas has directly tightened Japan’s overall raw scallop supply.

Landings in July alone reached roughly 54,400 tonnes, a modest 3‑percent year‑on‑year increase. Fishery associations attribute this improvement to stable sea conditions, more fishing days at sea, and better shell growth and higher individual weight of scallops compared with last year. However, fishery associations hold divided views on whether this monthly rebound can be sustained. The Soya Fishery Association forecasts final output will exceed the annual target of 23,800 tonnes despite an earlier‑than‑expected drop in meat yield. By contrast, the Saruru Fishery Association projects final landings will fall 10‑20 percent short of the plan due to slower scallop growth.

Tighter raw material availability has pushed landing prices higher. Recent settlement prices for shell‑on scallops range from over 300 to more than 500 yen per kilogram (approximately 2‑3.3 US dollars), representing a 30‑60 percent year‑on‑year increase. The core driver behind the price surge is the stronger market for frozen scallop adductor meat (locally known as “Gyurei”), the region’s primary processed product. Current meat yield generally ranges from 10 percent to 11 percent, reaching 12‑13 percent in some fishing grounds. Processed products are mostly 5S small‑size adductor meat, with some areas focusing on 3S and 4S grades.

Japan’s exports of frozen scallop adductor meat have fallen for two successive years. In the first half of 2026, exports totalled 5,705 tonnes, down 14 percent year‑on‑year, yet the average export price climbed to 5,005 yen per kilogram (around 32.3 US dollars), up 29 percent year‑on‑year and nearly double the level seen in the same period of 2024.

The United States remains Japan’s largest export market for frozen scallop adductor meat. First‑half exports to the US hit 918 tonnes valued at 7.03 billion yen (roughly 45.4 million US dollars), with an average export price of 7,657 yen per kilogram (about 49.4 US dollars), higher than the 6,020 yen recorded a year earlier. In June alone, exports to the US stood at 131 tonnes, rising 39 percent year‑on‑year, and the average price soared to 7,753 yen per kilogram (around 49.7 US dollars), a 72‑percent increase, second only to South Korea among Japan’s major export destinations.

Exports of frozen shell‑on scallops show both higher volume and higher prices. In the first half of 2026, exports reached 10,855 tonnes, up 28 percent year‑on‑year. The average export price rose to 617 yen per kilogram (approximately 4 US dollars) from 577 yen per kilogram in the same period last year, compared with merely 295 yen per kilogram in the first half of 2024, almost doubling within two years.

Vietnam continues to dominate Japan’s export flows of frozen shell‑on scallops. In the first half, Vietnam imported 8,708 tonnes worth 5.33 billion yen (around 34.4 million US dollars), accounting for roughly 80 percent of Japan’s total frozen shell‑on scallop exports. The average price to Vietnam increased from 565 yen to 612 yen per kilogram. June exports to Vietnam totalled 1,325 tonnes, down 12 percent year‑on‑year, while the average price advanced 14 percent to 581 yen per kilogram.

A seafood distributor in Tokyo revealed that orders for frozen scallop adductor meat persist, yet the early‑year rush to procure goods has faded. S to 3S sizes are most sought‑after in export markets, whereas large‑size 2L grades face weakening prices. Current quotations from primary wholesalers in Tokyo are as follows: 7,000‑7,100 yen per kilogram (roughly 45‑46 US dollars) for 3S, 8,500 yen for S, 8,200 yen for M, and 8,500 yen for L. The traditional pricing model based purely on size has been broken, with order demand for specific grades carrying growing weight in price‑setting.

Some market participants expect prices for boiled scallops, shell‑on scallops and Chinese small scallops may ease. Nonetheless, prices remain at high levels with thin trading, as buyers generally hold off on purchasing until the final output of the fishing season becomes clear. Prices for frozen scallop adductor meat once neared 10,000 yen per kilogram and have since receded, yet overall levels remain far above those of previous corresponding periods.

The combined effects of reduced Okhotsk scallop output and surging average export prices are gradually reshaping global scallop trade patterns. Vietnam’s position as Japan’s top transit market for shell‑on scallops has been further consolidated, while the US market’s acceptance of high‑priced Japanese scallop adductor meat remains to be tested. For Chinese scallop processors and traders, persistently high Japanese raw‑material prices translate into mounting cost pressure for importing Japanese shell‑on raw materials for processing and re‑export. Meanwhile, this opens up opportunities for Chinese domestic processed scallop products to gain competitiveness in the Japanese market.