At the end of the first half of 2007, Chilean fishery exports exceeded US$2 billion, a figure that represents a 16.8% growth compared with the same period in 2006, marking a new record high in the year, a trend observed since the 2002-2006 five-year period.
The volume exported stood at around 751,000 tons, showing a slight decline with respect to the 2006 volume; however, it exceeds the 2002-2006 average by 5%.
The principal processing lines were frozen products (41.1%), followed by fishmeal (36.2%), fresh-chilled products, and canned products, which slid slightly 0.4% compared with the first half of 2006. A deficit was observed in the salted line-mainly from farmed species-and dehydrated products, a line that is exclusive of the extractive sector.
The average price of fishery products as of June 2007 (2.7 US$/kg) rose 17% compared with the average price in 2006. Of the 116 different resources exported during the period, the first nine account for 88.7% of the total in terms of exported value. Especially noteworthy are Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout, which accounted for 35% and 15.4%, respectively, of the total value.
In turn, the resources that increased their share of the total value were rainbow trout and coho salmon. Common mussel and pelagic fishes n/s also rose. On the other hand, within the principal export resources, only horse mackerel and Chilean sea bass showed a decline in value compared with June 2006.
Fishery exports went to 109 different countries, the leading nine destinations concentrating 80.3% of the total exported value. The leading markets were the United States (26.4%), Japan (25.2%), China (8.2%) and Spain (4.9%).
Aquaculture subsector exports (January – June 2007)
Until the end of June this year, aquaculture subsector exports accounted for 65% and 31% of the total volume and value, respectively, exported by the Chilean fishery industry. These percentages are derived from the almost 235,000 tons worth US$1,302 million of aquaculture exports, which were 21% and 13% higher in terms of value and volume, respectively, than in the same period in 2006.
Chilean salmon and trout exports during the first half of 2007 rose to 215,314 net tons, a figure that represents a 13% increase with respect to the same period in 2006. Returns from these exports amounted to US$1.2 million FOB Chile, 23% higher than the volume recorded for the same period in 2006. Atlantic salmon continues being the most outstanding resource within aquaculture exports. This species accounted for 57% of total values in the period analyzed, followed by rainbow trout and coho salmon.
Salmon and trout exports were followed by mussels, a species that has continued growing steadily. As of June 2007, mussel exports had grown 27.8% compared with the previous year. Other species like algae and the northern scallop showed contrasting results; while algae showed an increase in export prices, the northern scallop showed a sustained drop reaching a 53.2% fall as a result of low prices and smaller exported volumes.
The most important processing lines in the aquaculture subsector in the first half of 2007 were frozen products and fresh-chilled products. Other important processing lines, in terms of value, were smoked products, meal and agar agar; the oil line, on its part, showed a rise in values. The canned, salted, dried algae and dry salted processing lines showed a decline in their exported values compared with June 2006. According to information provided by the office of the Undersecretary for Fisheries Office, this was mainly due to smaller exported volumes compared with June 2006.
Extractive fishery subsector exports (January – June 2007)
In accordance with information from the office of the Undersecretary for Fisheries, until June 2007, this subsector had accumulated 450,000 tons in exports (equivalent to 60% of the total fisheries sector), worth US$31.7% of the total value of fishery exports in the country. This was due to the average price of 1.42 US$/kg, which exceeds the 1.2 US$/kg reached in mid 2006.
Figures supplied by Sonapesca, however, indicate that the fishery subsector exports at the end of the first half of 2007 totaled US$782 million, up 8.9% compared with the same period the previous year. On the other hand, volumes showed a 4.5% drop. The better average prices in the period, however, explain the rise in returns obtained.
Fishmeal was the driver of the good results of the extractive fishery sector in terms of value (US$315 million equivalent to 15.7%). It was followed by dried algae, carrageenin and canned products. On the other hand, production of fish oil, dehydrated products and, in a lesser degree, frozen products declined. In terms of volume, fishmeal headed the ranking (54.2%), followed by frozen products (28.1%) and canned products (8.6%).
Fish meal rose 12.6% compared with the same period the previous year. Its principal destinations were China (42.4%), Japan (14.2%), and South Korea (6.1%). Super prime fishmeal accounted for 46.8%, followed by prime fishmeal with 37.7%, standard fishmeal with 14.6%, and non specified fishmeal with 0.9%.
Frozen products, the second most important processing line in the first half of the year, accounted for 28.6% of exported values and 28.1% of exported volumes of the subsector. Net results show that as of June exported values totaled US$182.3 million, which represents a slight fall of 0.5%, compared with the previous year.
The leading destinations were the United States (20.9%), Nigeria (18.1%) and Japan (13.6). The principal resource exported to the United States was Chilean sea bass; in the case of Nigeria it was horse mackerel, and of Japan, sea urchins and alfonsino (Beryx splendens).
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