Farmed Atlantic salmon exporters in Chile shipped more than USD 1.9 billion (EUR 1.8 billion) worth of the fish in the first eight months of this year, representing an increase of 12.5 percent year-on-year. The species accounted for over 55 percent of the country’s total aquaculture and fishery exports during this period, far outweighing second-placed rainbow trout with 7.8 percent of the total value and third-placed Pacific salmon.
According to new figures published by the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (SUBPESCA), Chile’s fisheries and aquaculture exports totaled USD 3.5 billion (EUR 3.3 billion) in the January through August period, an increase of 2.3 percent year-on-year but 1.9 percent lower than the average for the past five years.
In volume terms, the country exported a total of 828,000 metric tons (MT) of product, an increase of 2.8 percent year-on-year but 4.9 percent lower than the average for 2011-2015.
Exports from the capture sector amounted to 344,500 MT with a value of USD 763.7 million (EUR 717.8 million), representing year-on-year increases of 14.3 percent and 5.1 percent respectively.
Aquaculture exports, meanwhile, totaled 483,500 MT valued at USD 2.7 billion (EUR 2.5 billion). While the volume from the aquaculture sector was down year-on-year, the value was up 1.5 percent.
Chile harvested approximately 100,000 MT of Atlantic salmon in the third-quarter of this year, down 24 percent year-on-year. Prices during the last quarter averaged USD 6.35 (EUR 5.97) per kg, up 63.7 percent compared to Q3 2015 as a result of the lower harvests.
