Chile exported 528,044 tonnes of salmon between January and December last year, up 8 per cent compared to 2012 when it sent abroad 488,466 tonnes.
These exports generated USD 3,520 million in revenue, an increase of 21.6 per cent compared with that obtained in 2012 (USD 2,894 million), according to a report by InfoTrade for Aqua.
In December 2013, the average price of Chilean salmon was USD 7.7/kg FOB, 71 per cent higher than the same month in 2012, when it reached USD 4.5/kg FOB.
The average price last year also shows the same trend: in December 2012 the value reached USD 5.9/kg FOB Chile, while in 2013, USD 6.6/kg FOB were paid, that is to say, 12 per cent more.
In 2013, Empresas AquaChile, further comprising Aguas Claras and Salmones Chiloe, ranked in the first place among exporters, with sales of more than USD 447 million.
The second place went to Cermaq Chile, with USD 300 million, followed by Los Fiordos, with shipments worth USD 258 million; Salmones Multiexport, with USD 255 million, and Salmones Camanchaca, with USD 191 million.
Further back were Salmones Blumar, with shipments for USD 171 million; Ventisqueros, with USD 159 million; Marine Farms GMT, with USD 142 million, and Marine Harvest, with USD 137 million.
In terms of volume, to December 2013, the major salmon companies were: Empresas AquaChile: 64,261 tonnes; Mainstream: 48,169 tonnes; Los Fiordos: 41,206 tonnes.
Infotrade report also highlights that the main market in terms of value was the U.S., which bought products worth USD 1,144 billion between January and December last year.
Japan ranked second with USD 840 million, and then came Latin America, with USD 657 million.
In volume terms, Japan led the ranking with 147,315 tonnes of salmon. It was followed by U.S. (124,434 tonnes), and Latin America (101,241 tonnes).