Last July Peruvian seafood exports generated USD 320.9 million in revenue, representing 15.7 per cent less than in the same month in 2012, when their value was USD 380.3 million, the Ministry of Production (Produce) reported.
Meanwhile, the exported volume decreased by 32.8 per cent, 169,300 tonnes, compared to 251,700 tonnes shipped a year earlier.
This decrease was mainly due to lower sales of frozen products, fishmeal and fish oil.
According to the latest Statistical Bulletin prepared by Produce, between January and July 2013 the sale of products abroad of 680,800 million tonnes of fish products generated USD 1,392.7 million while in the same period last year 1.4 million tonnes had been exported for USD 2,160.9 million.
In July 110,500 tonnes of fishmeal were exported for USD 181.7 million while in the same month last year 186,600 tonnes worth USD 256.4 million had been sent abroad, figures that indicate losses of 40,8 per cent and 29.2 per cent, respectively.
However, between January and July, 2013 a total of 351,500 tonnes of fishmeal was exported, 63.3 per cent more than in the same period in 2012 (958,700 tonnes).
The main markets for Peruvian fishmeal were China, Germany, Japan and Chile, who bought around 305,000 tonnes of the total traded until July 2013.
July exports led foreign sales of fishmeal in the first seven months to USD 624.9 million, representing 47.9 per cent less than in the same period in 2012 (USD 1,199.2 million).
Meanwhile, crude oil exports totalled 15,200 tonnes last July, that is to say, 5 per cent less than in the same month in 2011 (16,000 tonnes) .
Considering the first seven months of 2013, a total of 45,100 tonnes of oil was sold abroad, 74.7 per cent more than in the same period last year (178,500 tonnes).
Denmark, Belgium, Chile, Canada and China accounted for 80 per cent of fish oil exports registered until last July.
These sales generated USD 118.4 million, an amount that represents a decrease of 54.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2012 (USD 260.4 million).
In July about 31,200 tonnes of frozen products were also exported, a volume that accounts for a decrease of 11.7 per cent compared to 35,300 tonnes exported a year earlier.
In the first seven months of this year, 216,600 tonnes of frozen products were sold abroad, which is an amount that represents a decrease of 4.8 per cent compared to the same period in 2012 ( 227,500 tonnes).