Peru is known for its sardines. In fact, Peru represents half of the world’s fishmeal production, harvesting around 6 million metric tons of sardines annually.
However, PromPeru, the country’s export and tourism promotion board, is moving beyond sardines’ industrial applications by touting the product’s versatility and the availability of various product forms, said Francisco Via Diaz, the board’s seafood department coordinator. The aim is to grow exports of canned, frozen and cured sardine products, he explained.
And the potential is there. PromPeru is targeting key export markets like Spain, Eastern Europe, China and Korea with a lot of success, said Diaz. PromPeru is also promoting the sustainability of Peru’s sardine fishery as well as nutritional value of the fish, which is high in heart-protective omega-3 fatty acids, he added.
PromPeru held a brief reception at its European Seafood Exposition stand on Wednesday to introduce its new “Taste the Future” tagline. Peru’s new logo, featuring a “P” resembling an “at” symbol, was also on display; the logo is used for all Peruvian products, not only fish. Several sardine appetizers, including ceviche, were served.
