A huge bluefin tuna fetched 4.5 million yen (about R440 000) today in the first auction of the year at a major Japanese fish market, lower than the highest price a year ago as tuna volumes push down prices.
The 180kg tuna, valued at 25 000 yen a kilogram at Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market, was sold to the Kiyomura company, which operates major sushi restaurant chain Sushi Zanmai.
The fish was caught in Oma, on the northern tip of Japan’s main island Honshu, one of the best tuna fishing grounds in the country.
The volume of tuna on the market is greater this year, pushing down prices, said Kiyoshi Kimura, president of Kiyomura.
“I thought the price could be a little higher,” he said.
The company made a successful bid for the fourth straight year.
The price of big bluefin a year ago settled at 7.36 million yen. The record was set in 2013, at 155.4 million yen.
Sapa-dpa
