World abalone supply, markets and pricing: Historical, current and future

The world supplies of wild-caught and cultured abalone are considered with implications of the past, present and future. Much of the data available in recent years, from various government sources, and even FAO, have often been inadvertently misleading. Reporting has often combined a number of dissimilar abalone products (fresh in shell, frozen meat, canned, dried, etc) resulting in misleading results. Surprising numbers result when an effort is made to standardize production and export information for both the commercial catch and cultured product. Factors affecting abalone FOB and CNF prices are discussed. Different market forms (live, fresh, frozen, canned, dried) affect pricing, and price is also influenced by processing and packaging as well as economic conditions. Suggestions are made for value added abalone products and the challenges of sustaining world demand at premium prices are discussed.