Seafood production in Tasmania is approaching a total first-sales value of AUD 1 billion (USD 766.6 million, EUR 659.3 million) with farmed Atlantic salmon leading the growth, finds a new report.
According to the new Tasmanian Agri-Food Score Card 2015-2016, year-on-year seafood production has increased in value by 10.4 percent to AUD 911 million (USD 698.5 million, EUR 600.8 million) with farm gate salmon sales valued at AUD 704 million (USD 539.8 million, EUR 464.3 million).
In the 12-month period, the island state’s salmon volumes increased by 16 percent in volume and 14 percent in value.
Combined with ocean trout, Tasmania’s total salmonid value increased to AUD 730 million (USD 559.7 million, EUR 481.5 million) for the year 2016-2017, said the report.
The report also confirmed that the first-sales value of rock lobster and abalone increased to AUD 95 million (USD 72.8 million, EUR 62.6 million) and AUD 93 million (USD 71.3 million, EUR 61.3 million) respectively.
Overall, Tasmanian aquaculture in 2015-2016 increased by 12 percent in value to AUD 731 million (USD 560.1 million, EUR 482.2 million), while wild-capture fisheries increased by 3 percent to AUD 181 million (USD 138.7 million, EUR 119.4 million).
Tasmania’s seafood exports totaled AUD 189 million (USD 144.8 million, EUR 124.7 million), with products going to 21 overseas countries. China, Vietnam and Hong Kong are the state’s most important markets. Salmonids accounted for AUD 73 million (USD 55.9 million, EUR 48.2 million) worth of these exports, up 65 percent.
The gross value of Tasmania’s agri-food production increased in value by 5.9 percent in 2015-2016 to AUD 2.4 billion (USD 1.8 billion, EUR 1.6 billion), with exports rising 12.2 percent to a record AUD 686 million (USD 525.6 million, EUR 452.8 million).
