Where Do Scallops Come From?

Scallops are marine bivalve mollusks found in all the world's oceans. They are highly prized as a food source in many countries around the world. According to the Product Complexity Index, scallops come in position 914 among the list of the most complex products. When ranked as per the products traded the most in the world, this product comes in position 3258. The United Kingdom is the world’s leading exporter of scallops. The other leading exporters are Canada, Japan, the US, and South Korea.

Top Exporters of Scallops

The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is the world’s number one producer of scallops. Seafood exports from the UK dominate the European markets. The latest data shows that France is among the leading importers of the UK’s seafood. Scallops are very important to the UK seafood industry. Between 2013 and 2017, the sales quantity of scallops has been on the rise. In 2017 alone, the amount was approximately 65 million US dollars.

Canada

Canada is the second largest exporter of scallops. A report on the 2017 exports indicates that out of its exports, the country sold scallops valued at 51.1 million US dollars. Canada mainly exports Atlantic sea scallops. The main export market for Canadian seafood and scallops is the US. However, countries such as China and Japan also account for Canadian’s export markets, among other countries in the world. 

Japan

Japan is among the major sources of seafood in the world. The coastlines and the deep sea surrounding Japan's islands provide an avenue to tap the seafood resource. The 2017 report on exports indicates that the country managed to export scallops of approximately 40.9 million US dollars. The countries which provide export markets for the Japan scallops and other seafood include the US and China. Other countries also source their seafood from this region though in smaller quantities as compared to the two main importers of these products.

United States

Although many countries such as Canada and Japan export their seafood to the United States, it also has foreign markets for its seafood products. With scallops’ exports, the US came fourth after it managed to export a total of approximately 50.7 million US dollars in value of the product. The major export markets for the US scallop industry are the Netherlands, France, Canada, and many European countries.

South Korea

South Korea is also among the major sources of scallops and much other seafood. In 2017, the total value of scallop exports amounted to a whopping 25.4 million US dollars. This value puts the country in a strong position to serve international markets with scallops with the US benefiting from its exports. Other countries which receive scallops from South Korea include Japan, China, and Canada.

Significance of Scallops

Apart from being a source of food, scallop exports have helped in bolstering international trade. As noted from the above countries, there is a circulation of scallops whereby one country exports to the other in exchange for foreign currency. Besides, there is fostering of international relations in the process of exchanging the products and services between countries.