Exports of fishery and aquaculture products in Chile amounted to USD 3,166 million in the first eight months of 2012. This figure represents an increase of 5.8 per cent over the same period of 2011, when USD 2,992 million was obtained.
The volume of exports experienced an increase of 17 per cent, from 746,915 tonnes in 2011 to 874,080 tonnes this year, the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Subpesca) reported.
The sales of frozen products were the most voluminous ones, representing 49.1 per cent of the total, according to the latest Subpesca Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector Report. They were followed by fishmeal, chilled fresh products and dried algae.
According Subpesca statistics, the main export was Atlantic salmon, which accounted for 30.1 per cent of total sales abroad. Rainbow trout, Pacific salmon, the group of pelagic fish and horse mackerel were the next exported products.
Chilean products were destined for 106 countries, of which the nine major ones accounted for 80.6 per cent of the total export value. Among them Japan, US, China, Brazil and Spain stood out.
With respect to the catching sector, the accumulated value of fish exports (440,000 tonnes) between January and August 2012 reached USD 884.1 million, a figure that is slightly lower than that reported in the same period last year.
In the first eight months 218,446 tonnes of fishmeal were sold abroad for USD 289.3 million while a year earlier 201,010 tonnes worth USD 311.3 million had been exported. The most important destinations of fishmeal were China, Japan and South Korea.
The sales of frozen seafood products abroad totalled USD 395.6 million, which represented an increase of 5 per cent over the same period of 2011.
These products were shipped mainly to Nigeria, United States and Japan, which accounted for 23.6 per cent, 16.8 per cent and 14.3 per cent, respectively.
As for canned products, sales in the first eight months of 2012 totalled USD 53.9 million, representing 14.7 per cent less than a year earlier. The main markets were Spain, Singapore and Hong Kong, with shares of 23.6 per cent, 21.7 per cent and 11.1 per cent, respectively.
Aquaculture sector exports accounted for 72.1 per cent of the total sales abroad and 49.7 per cent of total exports between January and August this year, with USD 2,282 million and about 434,000 tonnes.