MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean fisheries 2006 exports could reach 3 billion dollars

Chile's fisheries exports totaled 2.945 billion US dollars during the first ten months of 2006, up 19.6% over the same period a year ago, according to the Fisheries Under Secretariat, SUBPESCA. But figures also show that the total volume was 1.157 million tons compared to 1.36 million tons in 2005, which means 18% less.

In terms of volume, fish meal was the main item followed by frozen products, fresh refrigerated produce and canned goods. Of the 135 items registered, nine of them represented 84.6% of total exports with salmon contributing 39.6%; pelagic species 13.1% and rainbow trout 12.6%. Fish meal exports totaled 412 million US dollars, up 9.4% over the same period in 2005, and shipments were concentrated by China, Japan and Taiwan. Exports of frozen produce reached 366 million US dollars, virtually unchanged, with main markets in Japan, United States and Spain. Main frozen exports were jack mackerel, hoki and sea urchins. Canned produce sales totaled 143 million US dollars, 6% up from the same period a year ago, with Spain, Sir Lanka and Singapore as main clients. Fresh refrigerated exports reached 57.8 million US dollars, down 7.5% from 2005. However fish farming or aquaculture generated the most export value, 64.1% of total fisheries exports equivalent to 1.882 billion US dollars for 393.000 tons. Compared with the same period of 2005 this represents a value increase of 30.8% and 2.4% in volume. These figures compare with high seas fishing activities which unloaded 764.000 tons with an export value of 1.052 billion US dollars, up 3.8% over the first ten months of 2005. Finally nine of the 127 countries that import Chilean fisheries products accounted for 78.3% of total exported value. US, Japan, China and Germany were the leading markets with shares of 26.4%, 23.1%, 7.1% and 5.8% respectively. (FIS/MP).-