``Does not know the market``

The MD of the salmon producing and exporting company Rolf Olsen Seafood in Bergen, Norway, Mr Andreas Grimelund, told SBR that the leader of Norwegian Fish Farmers' Association (NFF),..... Mr Tarald Sivertsen, does not have knowledge of the international salmon market. Mr Grimelund also reacted strongly to Mr Sivertsens' criticisms of Mr Øystein Steiro, Group Vice President Business Development in the Stolt Sea Farm Group. Mr Grimelund supports the letter which Mr Steiro sent to the EU Commission saying that the salmon agreement between Norway and EU is not being monitored or looked after properly, and that there are many ways of getting around the Minimum Import Price (MIP) procedures. 'I do have a great respect for Mr Tarald Sivertsen, but he and other Norwegian salmon farmers does not know how the market function,' he said. With this in mind, Mr Grimelund is disappointed that three salmon farmers but no exporters have been chosen to join a group which shall monitor the EU-Norway salmon deal and work out salmon-market strategies. 'It was the NFF who negotiated the agreement, but it is exporters who have to take all the risks, by being the active party [in effect] fulfilling the deal,' Mr Grimelund says. 'Tarald Sivertsen wants no debate. He is thinking too much on keeping peace in his home,' he says. Mr Grimelund does not like to see Norwegian salmon exporters being characterised as criminals because of this agreement. IntraFish / The Norway Post