MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Regional News from Pta. Arenas

Headlines: Magallanes promotes sheep farming; Shearing festival; Less air traffic; Krill research cruise; Chilean salmon exports down.

Magallanes promotes sheep farming

Chile's Director of the Agriculture Research Institute, INIA, Francisco González del Río urged Magallanes Region to take advantage of the recent trade agreement with the European Union and increase mutton and lamb exports. During a brief visit to Punta Arenas Mr. González del Río indicated that "sheep farming is and must be a priority for Magallanes", and "this means improving genetics to ensure export volume and quality". "With this in mind our objective in INIA will be to promote Chile's commitment in the framework of the recent trade agreements, increasing supply and finer products. I believe at the moment we are not in conditions of completing the 5,000 tons European Union lamb quota", underlined Mr. González del Río. However Mr. Mario Vega vicepresident of the Cattle breeders association of Magallanes pointed out that Magallanes is in excellent conditions to face the challenge of mutton and lamb exports to Europe, "but we must also remember the 5,000 tons refer to the whole of Chile". Mr. Vega also recalled that the "trade agreement with the European Union is still pending Congressional agreement in Chile", and that quiet soon Magallanes will have a third abattoir certified for sales to Europe. Currently two abattoirs have that condition, "Simunovic from Punta Arenas that exported 2,100 tons and Sacor in Porvernir with 900 tons, making up the 3,000 tons of the current European Union quota". The new agreement when approved will extend the volume to 5,000 tons, with a 10% annual increase in three years until 6,000 tons are reached. Mr. Vega pointed out that both Simunovic and Acor besides Europe shipped mutton and lamb to Mexico, Brazil and even Argentina totalling an additional 2,000 tons.

Shearing festival

During the last week of January, Magallanes Region will be celebrating in Villa Tehuelches, sixty miles north of Punta Arenas, the Shearing Festival that attracts thousands of people from all over the area. The three days celebration not only includes a shearing contest but exhibits of other tasks related to sheep farming such as rounding sheep with dogs, marking them, cutting lambs tails, and a big display of farm hands riding capabilities: breaking and taming horses in the local rodeo. When day activities are over visitors can enjoy regional gastronomy, artistic and folklore events, plus shop for local artisan products. Tehuelches officials as usual have prepared a camping site with all the essentials, where festival visitors can set their tents and spend the three days. Magallanes Region with a flock of over two million sheep is Chile's main wool and lamb production area.

Less air traffic

According to Chilean Civil Aviation officials, air traffic in Punta Arenas airport experienced a 10% reduction in 2002 that is 10,483 passengers less. The total number of passengers in 2002 reached 344,589 against 355,072 in 2001. However the drop in travellers is greater regarding Chilean nationals, (12,273) while foreigners record a slight increase (719). But even with less passenger traffic Mr. Sergio Gallo head of the Chilean Civil Aviation Authority said that the number of flights, civilian, commercial and non commercial, actually increased from 20,197 in 2001 to 22,101 in 2002. As to the causes of the drop in passengers, authorities point out towards the fact that there's virtually no competition in flights to Punta Arenas and it has become considerable cheaper to drive in from Argentina given the weaker currency. The commercial companies regularly operating in Punta Arenas airport currently include Lan Chile, Lan Express, Aerovías Dap and Victor Tagle Transports. The Chilean services also operate from Punta Arenas airport as well as the local Air Club, Cerro Sombrero.

Krill research cruise

A Russian scientific vessel contracted by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, left this week from Punta Arenas for Antarctica on a krill research cruise. Over twenty scientists from Untied States, Canada and South Africa will spend the next two months taking samples of krill banks along the Antarctic coastline and South Shetland Islands as well as studying the abundance of phytoplankton and food chain in the area. The scientific group aboard the "Yuzhmorgeologiya" is headed by US marine biologist Robert Hewitt who has been doing this type of research for the last fifteen years. Mr. Hewitt said a few of the scientists will be landed in Livingstone and King George island to keep track of the higher echelons of the food chain, penguins and whales while the rest will remain with the cruise. "Most of the research will be shared with country members from the Convention for the Conservation of Living Marine Resources with the purpose of helping regulate fisheries in the area", explained Mr. Hewitt. The US biologist said that in the last fifteen years the krill population has kept rather stable although with variations exposed and associated to climatic conditions. "Particularly cold winters seem to favour the development of krill", underlined Mr. Hewitt.

Chilean salmon exports down

The value of Chilean salmon sales overseas dropped 5% during the first eleven months of 2002, compared to 2001, according to the Chilean Association of Salmon and Trout Producers. Salmon sales in 2002 reached 837 million US dollars with a total volume of 297,000 tons. The shipped volume actually experienced a 13% increase. Chile's main markets are United States and Japan. Chile is the world's second world exporter of farmed salmon behind Norway.