Mixed export fortunes
Chilean salmonid exports to Russia, Europe and the US all showed healthy increases in value in the first half of the year, although exports to Japan and Brazil have fared less well.
According to figures from Salmonchile, the country exported 281,069 tonnes of salmonids in the first six months of this year, worth US$ 1.8 billion - down by 0.6 per cent in volume but with the same value as in the first half of 2015.
26,569 tonnes of those exports went to Russia - up by 1.9 and 55 per cent respectively, compared to the same periods of 2015 and 2014. Likewise, returns from those exports experienced a 7.9 per cent increase in the first half of 2016, up to US$ 136 million.
Chilean shipments of salmonids to the US totalled 73,977 tonnes - 4.4 per cent higher than in the same period of 2015 and 2.9 per cent more than in the first six months of 2014. The value of those exports experienced a 2.9 per cent increase, up to US$ 648 million.
A similar situation was experienced by exports to the EU, which received 21,706 tonnes, worth US$ 126 million - a 39.8 per cent increase in volume and a 28.6 per cent increase in value, compared to the first six months of 2015.
By contrast, local salmon exports to Brazil totalled 42,253 tonnes - a 9.1 per cent decrease compared to the same period of 2015 - while the value of the returns decreased by 3.2 per cent, dropping to US$ 241 million.
Finally, shipments to Japan totalled 61,289 tonnes - 13.4 per cent lower than the same period of 2015 and 21.2 per cent less than the first six months of 2014. The value of these exports dropped 14 per cent, falling to US$ 355 million.
