At a meeting on increased value creation in agriculture, held in Hvanneyri on increasing the value of agricultural products, held by the Association of Young Farmers, the Agricultural University of Iceland and Matís recently, it was discussed how relatively simple short-term measures can have a positive long-term effect.
There was a lot of talk about transferring knowledge and methodology from the fisheries sector in the light of the experience of the Increased Value of the Seafood Support Fund (AVS) and the Technology Development Fund and adapting it to agriculture. As previously stated, the value of exported marine products compared to landed catch has increased as a result of a systematic emphasis on increased value. There was also talk of announced cuts in funding for food research (12%), which is the responsibility of the Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture and beyond the budgetary restraint target (2%).
There was talk of both private and public investment in research and development compared to what is happening in Europe, America and Japan.
Sæmundur Sveinsson, rector of the Agricultural University of Iceland, summed up his closing remarks and, after hearing from the candidates, he thought that no matter what the government does, we will have a government that intends to have a strong agricultural university and a strong Matís, which are two key factors necessary to strengthen food production and its value in Iceland.
It is clear to most that incredible progress has been made in the Icelandic fisheries sector. Now that major technological revolutions are taking place in the entire food production chain, there is no end in sight to this progress. Over the past 30 years, the Icelandic fisheries sector has reduced its emphasis on quantity and increased its emphasis on quality, which yields more per kg of catch than before. The basis for such an increase in value can be found in improved utilization of catch. And in order to make better use of the catch, it is important to know the entire value chain and improve treatment at all stages of the chain. This is where research comes in.
Research in the fisheries sector
Research in the fisheries sector can be traced back to 1934, when the Icelandic Fisheries Research Institute was established, on the basis of which the Fisheries Research Institute was established in 1965 (Matís from 2007). Important guardians of this journey are the establishment of the School of Fisheries around 1970, the beginning of food science teaching at the University of Iceland in 1978, the establishment of the University of Akureyri's fisheries program in 1990 and occasional funds that supported research.
Establishment of a research fund in the fisheries sector
The most important steps in recent years were the establishment of the AVS Fisheries Research Fund in 2003, which is responsible for increasing the value of seafood, and the Rannís Technology Development Fund the following year. The rulers of the time took serious suggestions that progress was needed in this area, and with the introduction of the funds, the collaboration of researchers with companies in the fisheries sector has increased significantly and the number of educated individuals in the industry has increased. The result may sound amazing. Through targeted research, value creation has increased so dramatically that it is measured in the tens of billions. For example, in the first years, all mackerel was smelted, but with the results of research, there was an increased understanding of how best to treat mackerel so that it would be an excellent product for human consumption. Icelanders were told that this was not possible, but instead of agreeing that mackerel caught in Iceland was only used for feed production, the result was that the value of mackerel is now around ISK 20 billion a year.
Catch handling - do not make gold out of shit!
Catch management is a key factor when it comes to increased utilization. Knowledge of treatment comes from research. Bleeding, washing and cooling and other handling of catches must be carried out properly. The same principle applies to all vessels in the Icelandic fleet and that principle is high-quality bleeding and cooling and even more cooling of the catch; the bleeding and cooling of the catch must be properly handled - always! The Icelandic fisheries sector does not intend to compete in the market for quantity but for the quality of the catch. Such thinking is especially important when it comes to exploiting the limited resources that the sea holds. Sustainable utilization of marine and water resources, in the blue bioeconomy, is necessary for us Icelanders. Research supports that this is done in the best possible way.
Not rubbish but valuable extra ingredients
The chain reaction in the fisheries sector, with a value chain approach, has had an effect; it is easier to get a good price for raw materials that have been handled with care. What the improved treatment has yielded are the opportunities to exploit what has historically been underused. Today, there is a great deal of value creation in companies that follow developments in the fisheries sector in general, for example in parties that are working with so-called additional raw materials, but in order to utilize them, it is necessary that the raw material quality is good; bleeding and cooling are key. We know this because of research that has been conducted in recent decades.
Value creation is key
Iceland is a land of opportunities in the sustainable utilization of clean nature, for example in the production of healthy food, active biocides and a positive experience of consuming Icelandic food. Matís works on a variety of projects in the food industry where the emphasis is on innovation and value added, and the company has been at the forefront of increased value creation from seafood. The value of each tonne of fish caught has increased by 145% from 2003, until 2016. This increase did not happen by itself, but by connecting science, business, entrepreneurs and the educational community. Matís has, in collaboration with the University of Iceland and other universities, linked science and the daily subjects of companies in 23 doctoral projects and 64 master's projects as part of larger research projects. Matís' experts facilitate the utilization of the results of scientific research and bridge the gap between companies and universities. No matter how we look at things, a key element in contemporary value creation and for the future is the interplay of science and the practical challenges of business. The co-operation has brought us great economic benefits, it has been strengthening and has all the potential to strengthen even more.
Here are some examples of Matís' participation in the Icelandic fisheries sector
Anchor - Packing facilities.
Atvinnuþróunarfélag Vestfjarði - Analysis of the competitiveness of the Westfjords fishing industry, assistance in organizing and conducting conferences on issues in the Westfjords economy.
Surf - Process forecast for halibut, research on cod climbing, supercooling of fish fillets, development of processing deck on liners.
Codland - Research and development cooperation, project assistance, measurement and testing, collagen physical analysis, Nordic connections, fish oil purification.
Eimskip - Research that contributed to the development of the transport of fresh seafood.
FISH - Cod processing forecast, light salting of fish fillets, process control of the processing deck of catfish vessels, supercooling, catch treatment of catfish, cooling of mackerel, research on cod climbing, ecological process analysis of fish products.
Frostmark - Audits and testing of equipment.
Grímur kokkur - Collaboration on enrichment of seafood, advice on production processes.
HB Grandi - Cooperation in research and development work, including in the field of catch treatment and processing of pelagic fish, such as quality and stability of redfish products, process control of processing decks of catfish vessels, electric drying of fishmeal, stability of fresh fillet products in export.
Icelandair - Research that contributed to the development of the transport of fresh seafood.
Iceprotein - Training of employees, installation of methods, collaboration in projects related to food processing.
Ísfélag Vestmannaeyja - Catch treatment, mackerel cooling and product stability.
Kerecis - Facilities in Reykjavík and facilities in Ísafjörður at the beginning of operations, research on the properties of cod skin.
National Association of Small Boat Owners - Catch Management; bleeding, bleeding, washing and cooling - teaching materials, instructions, scripts and courses, the Beautiful Fish initiative, value creation from grayling.
Laxá - Development of feed for aquaculture.
Fish oil - Studies on the variability and stability of cod climbing, quality classification of liver.
Marel - Various collaborations, including on automatic bone cutting of whitefish fillets, development of measurement technology, pre-shredding of fillets, presentations at Whitefish ShowHow.
Polygons - Facilities, advice, analysis of properties and stability of fish oil, installation of marketing material.
Oddi hf. Development of processing processes for the production of salted fish, ecological process analysis of fish products.
Prentsmiðjan Oddi - testing of packaging.
Primex - Development manager training, collaboration in research and development projects regarding the utilization of Primex products to extend the shelf life of fresh fish.
Reiknistofa fiskmarkaðanna - assistance with improved working methods in fish markets and participation in the needs analysis of the auction system.
Samherji - Crop processing forecast, catch treatment and processing of pelagic fish, especially mackerel, development of packaging production and transport of fresh seafood, supercooling of fish fillets.
Association of companies in the fisheries sector - Cooperation on information on the nutrient content of Icelandic seafood.
Herring processing - Catch processing of mackerel and product stability, processing development of capelin roe, mackerel fillets, redfish, supercooling of pelagic fish, improved utilization of by-products of pelagic fish, product safety, filleting of herring.
Skaginn 3X - Filtrex equipment, Rótex equipment, supercooling, development of processing processes in catfish as well as pelagic fish, freezing of pelagic fish.
Skinney Þinganes - Development of processing processes for the production of salted fish, stability of mackerel products, lobster projects.
Sæplast - Design and testing of packaging.
Thor-Ice - Development of cooling processes with liquid ice, mackerel and catfish.
True Westfjords - Development of a new production process for catfish fish oil, a study of the differentiation possibilities of fish oil based on fatty acid composition.
Vignir G. Jónsson - Fish pearls, testing facilities for product development.
Vinnslustöðin - Development of processing processes for the production of salted fish.
Indicator - Cod processing forecast, process control for salted fish production, scientific assessment of the processing process and properties of new salted fish products, assessment of the effect of salting methods on the physical properties of products, development of processing deck on liners.
Þorbjörn - Process management in salted fish production, scientific evaluation of the processing process and properties of new salted fish products, evaluation of the effects of salting methods on the physical properties of products.
The research and development project T-KER is a collaborative project of Sæplast, Matís, the Iceland Innovation Center, the University of Iceland and the University of Akureyri, ITUB and Icefresh in Germany.
The aim is to develop new transport tanks, which are intended for whole fish, fresh fillets and fillet pieces to begin with, but could easily prove useful for other fresh foods. The design of the new tanks, which are called twin tanks and are stacked in pairs, aims to improve the volume utilization in the back cargo by 60-75% and thereby reduce the transport cost in the back cargo by almost 40%. The tanks, which are expected to be 10-15 cm shallower than traditional 460 L fish tanks, are also intended to preserve fish quality and stacking safety as well or better compared to current tanks for white fish and disposable foam boxes for salmon. The positive environmental impact of the new pots is therefore due to both improved volume utilization in transport and increased use of recyclable packaging instead of disposable packaging.
Björn Margeirsson, research director of Sæplast, about the new project and the new pots.
There was a very good turnout at a meeting in Hvanneyri about the increased value of agricultural products offered by the Association of Young Farmers, the Agricultural University of Iceland and Matís last night. Representatives of the meeting announcers and representatives from all the main candidates for the parliamentary elections next weekend got on board. In the next few days, we will discuss the meeting and highlight the main things that took place there.
Many interesting points were made in the candidates' speeches and it seemed to everyone how to increase the value of agricultural products, but all the candidates agreed that innovation, research and development are the basic principles that must be present for increased value creation to take place in agriculture. . This is interesting in light of the fact that in next year's budget proposal and the fiscal plan for the next five years, the current Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture proposes that funding for Matís be cut by 12% or about 51 million. This is completely at odds with the policy of all parties to promote innovation in Iceland.
Ásmundur Einar Daðason from Framsóknarflokki said that he has followed the development of Matarsmiðja Matís all around the country over the years. He said that while there are plans for cuts, Matís would probably deal with those plans and prepare. At the same time, the company could not apply in a normal way and continue to work on the great projects that were going on all around the country. The cut would therefore be in stark contrast to the content of the meeting, increasing the value of agricultural products.
It is known that fish oils have been used as a wood preservative for centuries and have proven successful. However, much of the knowledge has been lost. With an increased emphasis on going back to older times and raw materials and better knowledge, a layer is created to utilize fish oils, which now fall into the waste category, for significantly increased value, but production and product development problems must be solved before going any further.
A new project is approx. to start at Matís in collaboration with the innovation company Magla ehf. with financial support from the AVS fund. The aim of the project is to develop a product from fish oils for use as part of wood protection, but production processes need to be determined to change dirty crude oil and which fish oil into valuable wood oil. The total funding of the project is seven million.
The project manager is Ásbjörn Jónsson and in addition to him Heiða Pálmadóttir and the staff of Matís' laboratory are participants in the project. The project starts in November 2017 and ends in November 2018.
On 23 May 2016, a working group was appointed to review legislation on veterinary diseases and veterinarians, with the aim of creating a comprehensive law on animal health, with the aim of improving the general health of livestock and pets with regard to all diseases. The working group submitted its report to the Ministry of Industry and Innovation on 17 October 2017.
The main emphases of the working group's recommendations include ensuring efficiency in reporting and responding to diseases, maladaptation and accidents to animals, and that a strong institution is run that conducts research, advice and risk assessment for animal diseases. It is also proposed that a special council be established to deal with licensing, licensing and retraining of veterinarians and animal health professionals, and to deal with complaints, issues, etc.
It is proposed that the activities at Keldur be strengthened and that it be transferred to the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and be either an independent institution or be merged with other institutions, in part or in full (p. 74).
The report will be useful in the preparation of bills, but work on them will begin soon. The report is presented for publicity and everyone is free to comment or comment on its content.
In an article sent to Morgunblaðið on 14 October. Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson thanks Sigurjón Þórðarson for an article in Morgunblaðið on October 7. The reason for Sigurjón's article is news on Matís' website from 29 September following the successful World Seafood Congress event. Matís' news does not mention records or use adjectives at the top level. The news item on Matís' website points out that the export value per kg of cod catch has increased by more than 350% since 1981. Sigurjón rightly points out that the price of cod fillets in the UK market has risen more at the same time. Below is Arnljót Bjarki's more detailed answer to Sigurjón's article.
The news item on Matís' website also traces the development of value creation in the fisheries sector from 2003-2016. In 2003, a strategic decision was made to increase the value of seafood (ACP) through research and development; place more emphasis on the value of products than the quantity of raw materials. In this context, a sensible environment for resource management is certainly important. On the other hand, it is our opinion that the emphasis on processing and the value chain is much more effective for society. Therefore, the article on Matís' website did not discuss a quota system.
Project financing is primarily through competition funds, such financing is classified as special income and the proportion of Matís' special income is high in relation to similar units in Iceland. The financing of Matís' operations is Sigurjón's idea and it is good. It would be desirable for more members of the Althingi, current, former and future, to show similar interest. The state's budget through a service agreement with Matís, based on funding for Food Research, was ISK 435 million in 2016. Of taxes and public fees paid, 80 million remained. Matís' special income in 2016 amounted to ISK 1,180 million. Of this, ISK 481 million was raised from international competition funds and ISK 252 million from domestic competition funds. It is hardly necessary to mention that Matís' success in attacking international competition funds, e.g. Horizon 2020 plan, is considered remarkable. Among our partners in international research projects are the National Association of Small Boat Owners, the Association of Companies in the Fisheries Sector, the University of Iceland and the Marine Research Institute, the Marine and Water Research and Consulting Institute. The conference and its side events were funded in extensive collaboration as can be seen on the website WSC2017.
Investment in innovation is a prerequisite for progress in the food industry. Unfortunately, investment in innovation in the European food industry is only half that of the US food industry and a third, compared to Japan. It takes a lot to stay gone, let alone be a leader in an ever-changing world. It is true that the fisheries sector, fish processing in particular, is behind other food industries worldwide, although the actions of the Icelandic fisheries sector are taken in many parts of the world, as discussed at the recent conference. In this light, the Norwegian demand and Faroese in Icelandic knowledge and technology in the field of fisheries.
Innovation in the fisheries sector includes improved catch management, new cooling methods, automation, innovations in product range and new ways of marketing. All of these are examples of methods that have affected the value of Icelandic cod fillets in the British market since 1981. That year, a significant part of the cod was exported intact, without any processing. The condition of the raw material was often deficient. What was done in Iceland was exported largely block-frozen. Today, a significant proportion of cod products exported to the UK, under controlled conditions, are fresh fillet pieces that have been treated well through the value chain. This is one of the key reasons why prices in the UK consumer market have risen, as can be seen.
Icelanders have been bulky with their seafood for a long time, so developments in the Icelandic fishing industry as well as processing have affected the product range and prices in the British market. When more was put into quantity than quality, it was common for fishing vessels to sail with catch and sell as such on auction markets in British ports, then even 12-14 days old, now it is more about fish being filleted and trimmed in Iceland and even sliced into fillet pieces, thanks to Icelandic technological developments (eg Marel and competitors), for transport, under controlled conditions, to the UK. In this way, Icelandic seafood can get closer to consumers after they leave the country. Filleting in Iceland and the development of product composition exported from the country have an effect on price development and value creation. It is respectful to review data from foreign institutions. Although the author is not an economist, it can be seen that the most accessible data from the UK Statistics Office on fish show the retail price development of fish fillets, which is not the same as the import price in the UK or the export price from Iceland. The value of the British pound sterling changed in 2016 against other currencies, which may affect the retail price of food. Currency developments are different and they are of different ages and unstable. Certainly the price development of fish fillets is an important factor in the price development of cod products. Retail fish fillets in the UK have changed in the last 35 years Less is said about old fish being stuffed in the store, although there is something about fish fillets being translated up in stores, and fish fillets still being sold frozen in the UK, there are now more fillet pieces have been imported as such refrigerated from Iceland. Fish fillets that were processed in the same way as happened and went 35 years ago would not be sold at the same price as fish fillets that are treated with the elements that are common today. If we look at individual markets, we must not forget that Icelandic cod products are imported from here directly to three continents, then we can look at price developments (seafood index) in other markets. The difference between the development of value creation from all Icelandic cod products and the price development of cod fillets in retail in the UK market can be partly explained by the fact that food raw materials have not moved as much everywhere.
Commodity prices (e. Commodity) has changed more slowly than specialty products such as fillets. World Bank Food Price Index (e. World Bank) rose by 38% from 1981 to 2016. Food Price Index of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) increased by 51% at the same time at current prices. Looking at fish prices in particular, world fish prices have increased by more than 51% from 2003 to 2016, while having fish fillets in the UK increased by 57%. At the same time, the export value of Icelandic seafood has increased by 145% in SDR, from 0.53 SDR / kg catch to 1.3 SDR / kg catch as reported in Matís news. Thanks to developments that have been driven, among other things, by co-operation between Icelandic fisheries companies and associations, educational institutions, Matís, industrial companies and other stakeholders in the fisheries sector.
In order for the Icelandic economy to be successful, Matís has invested heavily in cultivating human resources, including through collaboration with Icelandic universities, a collaboration that will hopefully be able to be financed in the future, despite the announced cuts in the 2018 budget proposal. It is necessary to have good data to build on when making decisions. Too often it must be pointed out that the third most valuable fish species in Iceland's export figures is other catches. With usable data in the queue, let's discuss issues openly, without shouting, and put them in context. For example, what are the effects of stopping saving valuables and meeting needs instead? How can we still improve co-operation and co-ordination between Icelandic parties? Matís' co-operation with stakeholders in the fisheries sector over the years, not least the National Association of Small Boat Owners, has yielded results in catch management and value creation. Now we need to look to the future and move even further in the field of value creation based on the knowledge and resources of the sea around Iceland and around the world.
The budget bill, which was presented on 12 September, sets out a plan to reduce the state's funding for food research (Matís) by 51 million over the next two years, from 441 million to 390 million. This is contrary to the need for innovation in agriculture and fisheries throughout the country and will prove to be a short-lived warm-up for the Treasury, as Matís' operations have been successful and have brought great benefits to society. Taking into account tax payments and social security contributions, only about 80 million of the 435 million that the service agreement for food research returned to Matís in 2016 remained.
It is worth mentioning that in the summer of 2017, Matís' management took austerity measures to prevent losses in the current year, as solid operations have been a priority for Matís from the beginning. Following the austerity measures, it looked as if Matís could vigorously support growth in the bioeconomy. The announced cuts are expected to damage Matís' ability to serve its statutory role in increasing value creation, food security and improving public health.
Matís' special income in 2016 amounted to ISK 1,180 million. The state's investment in food research is necessary to counteract competition funds, but for every ISK the state contributes to food research, Matís' ambitious employees receive ISK 2.6 in special income, with foreign competition funds, such as Horizon 2020, which returned Matís ISK 481 million in 2016 and ISK 481 million. innovation society even more. If we look at the public funds that Matís has left over after paying taxes and public fees (80 million), it seems that Matís' employees have managed to return that investment fivefold by investing in foreign funds and tripling the amount with domestic grants. at the same time. Such a return would be good for most investors, not to mention the impact that Matís' research projects have on society throughout the country.
An example of an international project that benefits the Icelandic research community is FarFish, which Matís attended in Horizon 2020 in 2016. Matís leads the project and one of the important partners is the United Nations University School of Fisheries (UNUFTP). The UNUFTP, hosted by the Marine Research Institute, is expected to generate € 279,000 in the coming years, equivalent to 69% of the expected revenue of the Marine Research Institute, the Marine and Water Research and Consulting Agency from Horizon 2020 research and development projects funded.
Instead of cutting the state's investment in food research and thus stifling Matís' ambitious pursuit of international competition funds, it would be more sensible to increase the investment to strengthen Matvælaland, as Iceland can be, and to preserve our food resources.
Are you interested in climate issues and want to contribute? Take part in a 24-hour hack on climate issues on October 27. in Matís (3rd floor). The Climathon / Climate Marathon is a 24-hour climate innovation challenge held simultaneously in 237 cities around the world. You will work hard for 24 hours. to implement new ideas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution. The jury selects the best solutions and awards prizes.
The Climate Marathon is a competition that is open to everyone. People can register as individuals, groups, students, entrepreneurs and anyone who cares about the climate. Electric atmosphere, healthy food, inspired workshops, group discussions, a relaxed atmosphere and sleeping areas and a number of unexpected events await the participants. Dagur B. Eggertsson starts the climate marathon with a motivational speech at 13:00 on October 27.
At a recent meeting of the Large Ocean Nations Forum on Blue Growth on 3 October, Høgni Hoydal, Minister of Fisheries of the Faroe Islands, and Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, signed a Letter of Intent.
The meeting was organized by the Faroese Ministry of Fisheries, the Nordic Council of Ministers and NORA. In the last two years, there has been more and more discussion about sea areas that belong to nations and their states, rather than the area of the area that rises from the sea.
Høgni Hoydal, Minister of Fisheries of the Faroe Islands, and Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís.
One year earlier, a committee had reviewed the review of fisheries management in the Faroe Islands report. By its nature, more than fisheries management alone was discussed, and the report examines the diversity of the fisheries sector, the goals and potential benefits of fishing, processing, distribution and sale of seafood through the use of innovation and traceability.
In line with the report's proposal that the Faroese government, together with the Faroese economy, make every effort to make education and research in food production a priority in the Faroe Islands. In this connection, the idea was moved to explore the benefits of establishing a food research unit in the Faroe Islands with Matís as a model.
The declaration of intent signed last week underlines the plans of the Directorate of Fisheries in the Faroe Islands and Matís in Iceland to work together to increase value, food security and public health among large ocean nations.
The collaboration will be further developed through collaborative projects. Emphasis is placed on increasing value creation, based on the utilization of science and innovation, in Faroese fisheries companies and further strengthening scientific collaboration between Faroese, Icelandic and international research and industry. The co-operation will support the goals of the recently announced plans for reform in the Faroese fisheries sector.
