Swordfish Prices in the United States from 2020 to 2025

Key Points

• Swordfish prices in the U.S. from 2020 to 2025 have varied, with wholesale and retail prices generally increasing over time, influenced by market conditions and supply factors.  

• Research suggests export prices ranged from $6.56/kg in 2020 to $8.34/kg in 2022, while wholesale prices for frozen swordfish reached $30.84–$35.25/kg in 2023 and $30.84–$33.05/kg in 2024.  

• For 2025, wholesale prices ranged from $17.08 to $62.85/kg, and retail prices from $24.40 to $89.78/kg, showing significant variability.  

• The evidence leans toward higher prices in recent years, possibly due to supply constraints, but exact historical data for all years is limited, especially for retail prices before 2025.

Price Trends Overview

Swordfish prices in the United States have shown notable fluctuations from 2020 to 2025, driven by factors such as supply and demand, import competition, and market dynamics. Below is a breakdown of the available price data, focusing on export, wholesale, and retail prices where applicable.

• Export Prices (2020–2024): These prices, representing the cost at the point of export, provide a baseline for market trends. In 2020, the export price was around $6.56 per kilogram, increasing to $7.51/kg in 2021 and $8.34/kg in 2022. Predictions for 2023 and 2024 suggest a stable export price of $8.34/kg, though these are estimates and may not reflect domestic market prices.

• Wholesale Prices: For 2021, boat (ex-vessel) prices, which are close to wholesale, ranged from $4.00 to $6.00 per pound (approximately $8.82 to $13.23 per kilogram). In 2023 and 2024, wholesale prices for frozen swordfish were significantly higher, ranging from $30.84 to $35.25/kg in 2023 and $30.84 to $33.05/kg in 2024, indicating a possible shift in market conditions, such as increased demand for frozen products. For 2025, the wholesale price range widened to $17.08 to $62.85/kg, potentially reflecting variations in fresh and frozen forms.

• Retail Prices: Detailed retail price data is scarce for earlier years, but for 2025, prices ranged from $24.40 to $89.78 per kilogram, suggesting a broad spectrum of quality and form, with higher prices likely for premium cuts or fresh swordfish.

Historical Price Trends (2020–2022)

• 2020: The export price for swordfish was reported at $6.56/kg, based on data from Selinawamucii.com. This reflects the price at which swordfish was sold for export, likely lower than domestic wholesale due to excluding additional costs like transportation and processing. Domestic wholesale or retail prices for this year were not readily available, suggesting a gap in market reporting for earlier years.

• 2021: Wholesale (boat) prices, indicative of ex-vessel costs, ranged from $4.00 to $6.00 per pound, equating to approximately $8.82 to $13.23/kg, as reported by SeafoodSource. This data, from December 2021, highlights market conditions during the COVID-19 period, with low production and cheap imports from Canada depressing prices. The range suggests variability based on region and quality, with boat prices considered "unsustainable" at the lower end by industry members.

• 2022: The export price increased to $8.34/kg, as per Selinawamucii.com. Again, domestic wholesale or retail prices for this year were not found, indicating a reliance on export data for this period. This increase may reflect rising global demand or changes in production costs.

Mid-Period Trends (2023–2024)

• 2023: Wholesale prices for frozen swordfish, as reported by Tridge, ranged from $30.84 to $35.25/kg. This significant jump from earlier years suggests a shift toward higher prices for processed forms, possibly due to supply constraints or increased demand for frozen products. The data reflects market conditions over the past two years, with fluctuations indicating volatility.

• 2024: Wholesale prices for frozen swordfish continued at a high level, ranging from $30.84 to $33.05/kg, with a recent price of $14.99 per pound ($33.05/kg) reported on November 25, 2024, by Tridge. This stability at a high range suggests sustained market pressures, possibly from import competition or domestic production challenges.

Current Market Conditions (2025)

• 2025: The most recent data, from March 2025, shows a wide wholesale price range of $17.08 to $62.85/kg, as reported by Selinawamucii.com. This range likely includes both fresh and frozen forms, with the lower end possibly for whole fish and the higher end for premium cuts like steaks. Retail prices for 2025 ranged from $24.40 to $89.78/kg, reflecting a markup consistent with retail distribution costs. The wide range suggests significant variability, possibly due to regional differences (e.g., Washington and New York) or quality variations.

Comparative Analysis and Observations

To organize the data for clarity, the following table summarizes the prices by year, type, and range:

The table highlights the disparity between export prices (lower, for 2020–2022) and wholesale prices, especially for frozen swordfish in 2023–2024, which saw a significant increase. The 2025 wholesale and retail ranges are notably wide, suggesting market segmentation by quality, form, and possibly region.

Factors Influencing Price Variability

• Supply and Demand: Lower production in 2021, as noted by industry members in SeafoodSource, led to depressed boat prices, while higher demand in 2023–2024 may have driven up frozen swordfish prices.

• Import Competition: Cheap imports from South America and Canada, mentioned in earlier reports, impacted domestic prices, particularly in 2021.

• Product Form: The distinction between fresh and frozen swordfish, with frozen prices higher in 2023–2024, suggests processing costs and market preferences play a role.

• Market Conditions: The wide range in 2025 prices may reflect regional differences, with higher prices in urban areas like Washington and New York, as indicated by Selinawamucii.com.

Conclusion

Swordfish prices in the U.S. from 2020 to 2025 have generally increased, with wholesale and retail prices showing significant variability, especially in 2025. The data underscores the complexity of market dynamics, with export prices providing a baseline and frozen swordfish prices indicating higher costs in recent years.