New low for roe
The Chilean salmonid industry imported only 2.53 million eggs in the first three months of this year, smashing the previous low of 19.65 million eggs, which took place in Q1 2014.
The figure is 91 per cent lower than the 29.10 million eggs imported in the same months of 2015.
According to a report recently published by the National Fisheries Service (Sernapesca), Chile imported 880 thousand rainbow trout eggs in the first three months of this year - an 87 per cent decrease compared to the 6.98 million eggs imported in the same period of 2015.
Likewise, the country imported 1.65 million Atlantic salmon eggs as of March 2016, representing a 93 per cent decrease compared to the 22.12 million eggs imported in the same period of 2015.
So far this year, all the Atlantic salmon roe imports came from Iceland while the rainbow trout roe imports hailed from Denmark, just like in 2014 and 2015.
The Chilean salmon industry imported nearly 300 million eggs in 2007 and 2008 but has been gradually reducing those imports since - to about 100 million in 2010, less than 50 million by 2013 and barely over 40 million in 2014 and 2015.
