From 2012 to 2016, the value of fisheries and aquaculture products exported by Chile increased by 36 percent from EUR 3.5 billion (USD 3.9 billion) to approximately EUR 4.7 billion (USD 5.2 billion), thanks largely to the increased production of salmon – the country’s leading seafood export commodity.
But despite the general rise of Chile’s salmon production, last year’s total volume of seafood exports – at less than 1.2 million metric tons (MT) – was the lowest level seen during the course of the aforementioned five-year period.
According to the latest figures published by the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA), salmon accounted for 61 percent and 38 percent of Chile’s 2016 total export value and volume, respectively, with EUR 2.9 billion (USD 3.2 billion) and 441,000 MT. Around 26 percent of this went to the United States.
Incorporating all seafood products, the U.S. market accounted for 30 percent of Chile’s total export value and 16 percent of its volume with EUR 1.4 billion (USD 1.6 billion) and 188,000 MT. The No. 2 market was Japan, which accounted for 18 percent of the value (EUR 831 million, USD 922 million) and 14 percent of the volume (166,000 MT).
Following in third place was the EU, which accounted for 11 percent of Chilean exports last year, an increase of 9 percent compared with 2015. In value terms, these exports amounted to EUR 504 million (USD 559.2 million) – the highest level seen between 2012 and 2016. Within the EU, Spain was the main market for Chilean products, accounting for 33 percent of the trade, led by hake and mussels.
Additionally, over the past two years, Chile’s salmon exports to the EU have averaged 33,000 MT, mainly frozen fillets. These products have established a strong position in the catering sector because they are more competitively priced than Norwegian salmon, for example, highlighted EUMOFA.
Behind salmon, the next most important exports for Chile last year were rainbow trout and fishmeal, achieving values of EUR 361 million (USD 400.5 million) and EUR 295 million (USD 327.3 million) respectively, based on volumes of 49,000 MT and 192,000 MT.
While Chile is predominantly an exporter of seafood, it does import products like fish oil, tuna and shrimp. Last year, these imports totaled EUR 307 million (USD 340.6 million), a decrease of 23 percent compared to 2015, based on a volume of approximately 144,000 MT (down 27 percent).
The country also has a low per capita consumption of seafood of just 10kg, which the National Fisheries Society (Sonapesca) and the Federation of Fishing Industries of Southern Chile (FIPES) is currently attempting to address through a campaign aimed at adding an additional 1kg per capita per year to the Chilean diet until 2022.
