By MARINEL E. PEROY
If you’ve ever savored a melt-in-your-mouth salmon steak — pan-seared to perfection, oven-baked with herbs, or transformed into a Filipino favorite like kilawin or escabeche — get ready to enjoy even more of it this year. Premium Norwegian salmon is swimming its way in greater numbers to Philippine kitchens, restaurants, and hotel buffets.
“The Philippines is rapidly increasing its import of Norwegian seafood — with over 6,000 tons worth $20 million already shipped so far this year,” said Ms. Åshild Nakken, Director for Southeast Asia at the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC). “We believe this year will surpass last year’s totals.”
At the recent World Food Expo (WOFEX), the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Manila’s seafood pavilion highlighted four of Norway’s biggest seafood exporters: Hofseth, Lerøy Seafood Group ASA, Seaborn AS, and Seafood Brands AS. Alongside the showcase, NSC hosted a seminar and networking reception to link industry leaders and explore new trade opportunities.
Norwegian business and trade adviser Claus Gaasvig sees untapped potential in the Philippines, not just for salmon but also for renewable energy. “There’s a lot of potential. Things take time, but you are a big country in terms of population… [and] you have lots of natural resources,” he said.
Gaasvig also revealed that the embassy will host the Norway-Philippines LNG Summit and the Norway-Philippines Electric Ferries (e-ferries) Conference this October, both focused on strengthening cooperation in the energy sector.
For Norway, the connection with the Philippines runs deeper than trade. From safeguarding seafarers to supporting a rules-based maritime order, both countries are working to keep their “sea of friendship” strong — with benefits flowing from the ocean to the dinner table and beyond.
