On September 17, 2026, signs of supply recovery emerged in the mackerel market in Hokkaido, Japan. Since September, the catch of mackerel has increased compared to August. The arrival volume at the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market has risen simultaneously, and the wholesale price has dropped. However, the price level is still higher than the purchasing expectations of large supermarkets and other retailers, thus putting pressure on terminal sales.

  Market information in Japan on September 17th indicated that the catch of mackerel pike in September remained at a relatively low level, but it has shown signs of recovery. The arrival volume at Sapporo Central Wholesale Market in September increased compared to August, and the prices also dropped compared to before. However, the high-price situation has not yet completely eased, and market demand remains weak.

  This year, the price of mackerel is at a high level, which is directly related to the low amount of mackerel that was brought ashore in the previous period. Market data on September 3rd showed that the catch of Hokkaido's mackerel pike in August decreased significantly compared to the same period last year. With the reduction in the number of fish coming ashore, the demand for fresh sales was concentrated, and the price at the production site once reached a relatively high level.

  As of August 25th, the cumulative amount of Japanese mackerel caught in the fishing net was approximately 836.4 tons, which was only 40.9% of the 2,048.6 tons in the same period last year, a year-on-year decrease of 59.1%. The size of the fish during the same period was roughly the same as that of last year, but the wholesale price in Sapporo market was nearly twice that of the same period last year.

  In September, the volume of arrivals at major ports in Hokkaido began to show a relatively significant improvement. On September 8th, the volume of mackerel landed at the Nemuro Hanasaki Port reached approximately 520 tons, and the concentrated landing on a single day alleviated the previous market supply pressure. The market price has also dropped as the arrival volume has increased. The price of 130-gram mackerel at fresh fish stores in Hokkaido is about 298 yen per piece, a decrease of approximately 30% compared to about 425 yen per piece the previous week.

  There was also an increase in arrivals at the Toyosu Market in Tokyo. On September 7th, the wholesale volume of fresh mackerel was 6,563 kilograms, and it rose to 31,674 kilograms on September 8th, an increase of approximately 4.8 times in a single day. The most common transaction price during the same period dropped from 1,836 yen per kilogram to 1,296 yen per kilogram, a decrease of approximately 29%.

  However, the price drop was mainly concentrated on the regular-sized mackerel, while the larger-sized mackerel still maintained a relatively high price. On September 8th, the retail price of 150-gram mackerel still exceeded 430 yen per piece, indicating that the price differences among products of different specifications have become quite obvious.

  The main problem faced by terminal sales remains price. Mackerel pike is a traditional fish species consumed in Japan during autumn, mainly sold through supermarkets, restaurants and other channels. When wholesale prices remain higher than the purchasing expectations of retail enterprises, even if the arrival volume recovers somewhat, it is difficult for retail prices to quickly drop to a level familiar to consumers.

  Market information on September 17th indicated that the arrival volume at Sapporo Central Wholesale Market increased compared to August, and prices had also dropped. However, the expected selling prices of large supermarkets and other channels remained unmet, resulting in weak sales of mackerel.

  The main change in the current mackerel market has shifted from the low number of mackerel catches in August to whether the subsequent catches in September can maintain an increase. The concentrated landing of approximately 520 tons at the Nemuro Hanasaki Port on September 8th has already led to a price drop. The actual catch volume, fish size and market arrival rhythm in late September will directly affect the subsequent price changes.