Trout exports offset decline in Atlantic salmon

CHILE
Friday, February 04, 2011, 23:40 (GMT + 9)

During 2010, returns on salmon exports totaled USD 2,059 million, an amount that involves a decrease of 2 per cent compared to what happened in 2009, states an annual report by InfoTrade.

This decline is due to lower sales of Atlantic salmon, whose production was affected by the infectious salmon anemia (ISA) virus. Shipments of this product accounted for USD 715 million, which is 33 per cent less than in 2009.

The total volume of exported salmonids was 297,000 net tonnes, a figure which shows a decrease in shipments of 20 per cent.

Some 86,000 tonnes were Atlantic salmon, 83,100 tonnes were coho salmon and the remaining 123,000 tonnes were trout.

Coho salmon exports generated USD 433 million, which is 1 per cent more than in 2009, with trout totaling USD 877 million, a 52 per cent increase.

This last figure shows that numerous salmon companies decided to make the most of the trout market, due to the health, economic and labour crisis facing the salmon industry since 2007, when the ISA spread across various farms throughout the country.

For its part, the general manager of the Association for the Chilean Salmon Industry A.G. (SalmonChile), Carlos Odebret, believes that the increase in trout was due to strong demand from Brazil, which has quintupled its imports in recent years.

Regarding the ranking of exporters, AquaChile was the leader, with returns of USD 207 million and 34,200 net tonnes, equivalent to 10 per cent and 12 per cent of the total exports respectively.

In second place was Salmones Multiexport, with exports of USD 165 million and 21,100 net tonnes, accounting for 8 per cent and 7 per cent of the total, reports Diario Financiero.

In relation to the destinations of these exports, Japan, USA and Brazil were the main markets for Chilean salmon, with purchases worth USD 909 million, USD 448 million and USD 247 million respectively.

Related article:

- Brazil on the way to becoming main market for Chilean salmon


By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com