Middle East Market Intelligence Brief: Week Ending August 28, 2026

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US sanctions on Iran intensified this week, with Washington targeting entities linked to Tehran’s oil, shipping, and financial networks whilst threatening secondary sanctions on countries doing business with Iran.

Qatar is stepping up mediation efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran preparing conditions for restoring normal shipping.

US forces say international lanes are open after mine-clearing operations, but traffic remains well below normal levels amid continued tensions and sanctions.

Below is Expana’s weekly summary of the war’s most significant effects on global commodities. For the latest real-time updates, follow...

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ANALYSIS: What India's Rising Shrimp Farmgate Prices Look Like Against the Seasonal Range

India's whiteleg 30-count farmgate price (ex-farmgate in Andhra Pradesh) has risen about ₹30 (₹435 to ₹465) since late June and early July, running through early August, against a dataset high of ₹505. The move is real. It is also normal, given the seasonal record.

The first large harvest of the year has wound down, and what is moving through the market now is the tail end of that supply. With demand holding roughly steady, tighter on-the-ground availability is doing...

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Grieg Family Splits Business Ownership and Brings in Belgian Co-Investor

After more than 140 years of unified stewardship, the Grieg family has divided the business ownership of the Grieg Group — separating the salmon farming interests of the Willumsen Grieg branch from the rest of the family and bringing in Belgian investment giant Ackermans & van Haaren (AvH) as a new co-owner and majority shareholder in Grieg Seafood.

Under the restructuring, announced August 27, the Willumsen Grieg branch will take over the group's 50.2% stake in Grieg Seafood ASA through the holding...

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Ecuador's Shrimp Industry Calls for Trade Retaliation Against Brazil Over Prolonged Import Ban

Ecuador's National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) is pressing the government to implement retaliatory trade measures against Brazil, nearly nine months after Brasília suspended imports of Ecuadorian shrimp over sanitary concerns with no resolution in sight.

Brazil banned shrimp imports from Ecuador effective December 9, 2024, citing unsanitary conditions identified during an inspection mission by its Ministry of Agriculture. Since then, the CNA says, market access has not been restored despite ongoing diplomatic engagement, leaving Ecuadorian exporters locked out of what had been a significant regional market...

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Expana's Weekly Top 10

This week’s Top 10 reflects a market still being shaped by trade disruption, supply chain strain and shifting demand signals across agriculture, food and energy. From geopolitical risk and tariff policy to low river levels in Europe and changing promotional strategies in retail and foodservice, the latest developments show how quickly operating conditions can shift, and how closely global commodity, logistics and end-market trends remain connected. This list is in no particular order.

Find archived recaps here.

Returning Weekly Columns

10. US sanctions on Iran intensified this week, while efforts...

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Back-to-School and Nostalgia Marketing Drive Menu Buzz In Foodservice

Foodservice operators are heading into fall leaning on nostalgia, value and expansion to drive traffic, strengthen loyalty and navigate a competitive operating environment.

Nostalgia continues to prove its staying power as an industry strategy, with operators revisiting familiar flavors, menu items and experiences to reconnect with consumers. Limited-time offers have become a particularly effective vehicle, creating urgency around products that already carry a sense of familiarity.

Taco Bell has brought back four fan-favorite 2016 menu items: the Naked Chicken Chalupa, Meximelt, Beefy...

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Supreme Crab & Seafood Adds Mark Laubner for Business Development and Culinary Support

Supreme Crab & Seafood, Inc. has added Mark Laubner to its team, where he will focus on business development and culinary support across the company’s customer channels.

Laubner brings experience from both sides of the foodservice business, with a background spanning food distribution sales, restaurant operations and culinary management. Most recently, he worked in food distribution sales and previously held an area management role with a national foodservice distributor. That experience gave him a strong understanding of customer negotiations, service...

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Proximar Sees Stronger Q2 Growth, Targets 3 KG-Plus Harvest Weights from September

Proximar Seafood reported improved biological performance in Q2 and said average harvest weights are expected to reach around 3 kg and above from September, a key step toward better pricing and profitability.

The company harvested 726 tonnes HOG in the quarter, up from 697 tonnes in Q1, while average harvest weight rose to 2.56 kg from 2.25 kg. Proximar said the increase came despite a targeted harvest of smaller fish from May to July aimed at retaining larger fish and lifting harvest weights...

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Iceland Seafood International Posts 16.7% Sales Jump in First Half of 2026 as Net Profit Doubles

Iceland Seafood International delivered a strong first half of 2026, with sales rising 16.7% to €273.0 million and net profit doubling to €2.2 million from €1.1 million in the same period last year. Normalized profit before tax climbed 26.1% to €2.9 million, and the company maintained its full-year normalized PBT guidance of €11.5 million to €13.5 million.

Growth was broad-based across all three divisions. The Sales and Distribution division was the standout performer...

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Pink Salmon Surge in Sitka and Kodiak Lifts Alaska Season Totals

A late-season surge of pink salmon into Sitka and strong returns in Kodiak have brightened Alaska's salmon harvest picture heading into the final stretch of the season.

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute's (ASMI) weekly harvest summary through August 22 showed the cumulative salmon catch had exceeded year-to-date 2025 levels — and 2024 levels for pink salmon — though totals remained well behind both the forecast and the prior-year cumulative harvest as the season began to wind down. That picture improved further after the report was distributed...

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Court Preliminarily Approves $2.25M Dungeness Crab Settlements

A federal magistrate judge has preliminarily approved $2.25 million in partial settlements in the Dungeness crab price-fixing class action, moving the case toward its first formal payout to class members while litigation continues against the remaining defendants, including Pacific Seafood Group.

US Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse signed the order on August 24 in the Northern District of California, clearing settlements with Pacific Dream Seafoods, Inc. ($1 million), Caito Fisheries, Inc. and four Caito family members ($1.25 million), and non-party Fisherman's Choice LLC, which agreed...

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Gloria Maris Côte d’Opale Becomes First French Seabass and Seabream Farm Certified to ASC Standard

Gloria Maris Côte d’Opale has become the first French seabass and seabream farm to receive the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Seabream and Seabass standard certification, following an audit conducted by a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) to verify compliance with the standard.

ASC announced the news yesterday, saying the certification increases the availability of farmed seafood in France that meets ASC’s environmental and social requirements.

“ASC congratulates Gloria Maris Côte d’Opale on this remarkable achievement. As a pioneer...

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Hokkaido's Nemuro Anglers Asked to Stand Down as Fall Chum Forecast Drops 52% to Record Low

Hokkaido’s Nemuro region is calling on the general public to refrain from salmon fishing as part of the program to secure broodstock for the hatchery.

According to Minato Shimbun, the Nemuro Area Salmon and Trout Propagation Association will once again implement voluntary restrictions at the start of the fishing season to secure enough fall chum salmon broodstock for hatchery release. In conjunction, the association is collaborating with local municipalities—such as Shibetsu Town—to urge anglers to voluntarily refrain from...

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Poké House Debuts in Nevada With First Las Vegas Location

Poké House is bringing its build-your-own bowl concept to Nevada, with its first location in the state set to open Aug. 28 in Las Vegas.

The fast-casual poke brand will debut at 7175 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite 168, marking a strategic move into a market known for its growing food scene and global visibility. Company leaders say Las Vegas stood out as a natural next step for the brand, which has built its identity around customization and ingredient...

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Canada Targets US Lobster, Salmon, Pollock With 25% Counter-Tariffs

Canada will impose 25% counter-tariffs on American fish and seafood effective September 8, escalating a trade war that now threatens one of the world's most deeply integrated bilateral seafood supply chains.

The measures, announced August 25 by Prime Minister Mark Carney, cover roughly 700 US product lines at rates of 15%, 25% and 50% — a dollar-for-dollar response to US Section 338 tariffs of 50% that took effect August 19 on select Canadian imports after trade talks between the two countries collapsed. Fish and seafood fall...

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USDA Announces $156 Million in Commodity Purchases to Support US Producers

The US Department of Agriculture has announced plans to purchase $156 million in agricultural commodities from American farmers and producers, with the products to be distributed to schools and food banks through federal nutrition assistance programs.

The purchases will be made by USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service using Section 32 funds — a standing authority under the Agricultural Adjustment Act that allows the agency to buy surplus or price-distressed agricultural commodities to support domestic producers while supplying federally managed distribution channels.

The full commodity breakdown is as follows...

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Restaurants Lean on Efficiency and AI to Protect Margins, Toast Survey Finds

Toast’s annual Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey finds operators doubling down on profitability, growth and efficiency.

The foodservice technology company led a blind survey across 676 operators from April 3–20, 2026. The data reflects that the industry holding up, with 91% saying their business is in good or excellent shape, matching last year. Inflation, cited by 27% of operators and up seven points year over year, and hiring, cited by 22% and up six points, are...

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Norway Sees Sharp Drop in Production Fish as Salmon Harvest Hits Record High

Norway’s Food Safety Authority reports a sharp drop in production fish, known locally as prodfisk, even as overall harvests hit record levels.

Considered lower-quality fish due to damage or imperfections often linked to farming or operational issues, production fish accounted for 10.6% of harvest volume in H1 2026, down from 17.7% in H1 2025 and 30% in H1 2024.

"We see a clear decline in the proportion of production fish, at the same time as the harvest volume is higher than...

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