Due to rainfall in Primorye, prices for seafood began to rise in Russia

“Oysters have risen in price by 25% compared to last year, but the taste has become worse”

Last summer turned out to be extremely unsuccessful for the seafood market in the Primorsky Territory. We may soon run out of shellfish. Potential losses are estimated at 70%, and we are talking about both artificially bred oysters and those harvested at sea. The reason is very simple – heavy rainfall in Primorye diluted the salty sea water, and this is destructive for oysters. According to some estimates, the market situation will be disappointing for the next 36 months.

A significant portion of the oysters produced in Russia in 2022 (5,000 tons in total) were produced in the Primorsky Territory, and this region is considered the flagship region. Oyster farming in Primorye is a popular aquaculture industry. This region of Russia has ideal conditions for breeding and growing oysters due to its unique climate and clean sea waters. The peculiarity is that seaside oysters (regardless of the variety) are almost always saltier and have a more pronounced taste than Crimean or even more so African ones. This is due to the different composition of sea water. If someone described their impressions of oysters with the words “some kind of tasteless jelly,” most likely they had a chance to try a small, cheap oyster from Morocco or Tunisia. On the European market, which is not entirely accessible to Russians today, oysters from the northern regions of France (for example, Normandy) are especially popular. Well, in the current conditions, the Primorye ones are leading.

Social networks have already begun to make fun of them: they say, well, what a shame, the oysters will be small and tasteless – and how many people will notice this, 0.001% of the entire population of Russia? In part, people can understand – oysters in the world of gastronomy have long become virtually synonymous with wealth – but the problem is actually much more serious. The dissatisfaction of gourmets in Moscow restaurants is just the tip of the iceberg. More importantly, the shortage of oysters will be a serious blow to the economy of the Primorsky Territory. Well, if you consider that the lion’s share of seafood is exported, then for the whole country. On the domestic market, the share of oyster consumption is indeed small, but they are sold very actively to neighboring countries. Including to Japan – there seafood from Russia is in demand, since it turns out to be more profitable to buy it than to get your own.

The good news is that oysters will not disappear from stores or restaurants. The bad news: shellfish will become more expensive. If in the last couple of years in the fall (starting from September-October) in Moscow restaurants you could get a promotion like “Oyster for 100 rubles,” then this year you can’t count on it. Today, the most modest oyster from Crimea in restaurants costs 250-300 rubles apiece, and large Far Eastern oysters – those that will become scarce – reach 600-700 rubles.

“I noticed that this year they started ordering oysters much less often,” shared a waiter at one of the popular seafood restaurants, who introduced himself as Vyacheslav. – They have risen in price by 25% compared to last year, but the taste has become worse. I say this honestly, we try them ourselves. And sometimes we recommend that clients choose something else, for example, mussels. By the way, our mussels come from the White Sea, but they have also become more expensive: last year we sold a half-kilo pot for 1100-1200 rubles, but now it costs 1600.

By the way, with mussels, according to Vyacheslav, the situation is also unpredictable: sometimes the supplies arrive are tiny, and sometimes they are almost the size of a palm. It is difficult to control this, and the cost of a portion is calculated by weight. The situation with oysters is different – they are sold individually – but not all customers are ready for surprises.

Today, frozen and already shucked oysters are popular – they are brought in vacuum bags from African countries, most often from Tunisia. Eating these oysters raw, of course, is not entirely safe, but they will come in handy when preparing soup or stew. You can look for corresponding recipes in French or Belgian cuisine (of course, we are talking about seaside cities), as well as in the cuisine of the poor in the East End of London. Cooking oyster soup is easier than you think – you will need to add vegetables and spices to taste to the broth. Serve with bread or croutons. If we are talking about oyster stew, then you can stew the shellfish in wine or beer, as well as in tomato sauce. Simply fry the onions and garlic, add tomato sauce and oysters. Cook until the sauce thickens. A more sophisticated option for those who don’t want to eat oysters raw is the classic Oysters Rockefeller: the clams are baked with spinach, Parmesan cheese and breading right in the shell.

The simplest recommendations should be followed to avoid oyster poisoning. First, buy only from reliable suppliers who follow food safety standards. Secondly, the oysters must be fresh and without signs of spoilage. Avoid buying oysters with cracked or open shells. Before use, they should be thoroughly cleaned of sand and other contaminants, and opened immediately before use.