Peruvian fish exports generated in April generated USD 98.1 million in revenue, representing a 40 per cent decrease compared to the same month in 2012, when its value was USD 163.3 million.
Meanwhile, the export volume was down 12.5 per cent, reaching 207,600 tonnes compared to 237,000 tonnes shipped a year earlier.
These decreases were primarily due to lower sales of fishmeal and fish oil, reported the Ministry of Production (Produce).
According to the latest Statistical Bulletin issued by Produce, in April 2013 a total of 95,900 tonnes of fishmeal was exported, 19.5 per cent less than in the same month last year (119,100 tonnes).
With respect to the value, in the fourth month of this year fishmeal was exported for USD 51.9 million, 48 per cent lower than in April 2012, when the figure rose to USD 99.8 million.
The main markets for Peruvian fishmeal were China, Japan, Germany, Chile, Taiwan, Vietnam and Turkey.
in April exports increased the sales of fishmeal abroad in the first four month period, which amounted to USD 168.1 million, 70.2 per cent less than in the first four months of 2012 (USD 564.5 million).
Meanwhile, crude oil exports totalled 16,700 tonnes last April and were mostly directed to Denmark, Belgium, Chile, Canada, Australia and Japan.
In that month, fish oil shipments generated USD 5.6 million, that is to say, 75.6 per cent less than in April, 2012 (USD 22.9 million).
Throughout the first four-month period oil was sold abroad for USD 27.1 million, which represents a decrease of 75.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2012 (USD 109.3 million).
Also in April, 2013 about 70,900 tonnes of frozen products were exported.
In the first four months of 2013, shipments of frozen products were mainly directed to China, Thailand, Spain, United States and Nigeria.
On the other hand, in the fourth month of 2013 a total of 7,000 tonnes of canned goods was sold abroad, a volume that shows an increase of 18.6 per cent compared with 5,900 tonnes exported a year earlier.
The destinations of these products were Brazil, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Germany, Dominican Republic and Chile.
Exports in April amounted to 742,800 tonnes the total volume of fish products sold abroad in the first four months of this year, representing a decrease of 39.2 per cent compared with 1,222,600 tonnes exported in the same period of 2012.
The value of shipments for the first four months reached USD 353.2 million, 57.6 per cent less compared to the same period a year earlier, when USD 833.6 million was obtained.