MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean fish exports reach U$S 3.5 billion in eleven months

Chilean fish and aquaculture exports totaled 3.5 billion US dollars between January and November 2007, up 6.5% over the same period a year ago (3.3 billion) according to the latest data released the Fisheries Sub-secretariat (SUBPESCA).

The volume of seafood products exported during the first 11 months of 2007 increased 3.2% from 1,270,097 tons in 2006 to 1,310,468 tons. Frozen products represented the largest volume, 40.4% followed by fishmeal 34.6%, fresh chilled products, and canned products. According to SUBPESCA Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout accounted for 37.5% and 13.7% of total exports. Mussel and southern hake were the two products that increased the most in value. Chilean export sales were shipped to 129 countries with the nine most important concentrating 77.5% of the total export value. United States represented 26.5% per cent; Japan followed with 21.8%, China with 7% and Spain with 5.8%. The accumulated value of non farmed exports increased 8.2% compared to 2006 totaling 821.000 tons and 1,246 billion US dollars. (FIS/MP).-