MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine January exports of fish-shellfish down 13.2% in volume

Hake and shrimp the main export items (Photo: pescare.com.ar)

Argentina exported 24.479 tons of fish and shellfish valued at 81.4 million dollars in January 2012, according to the latest statistics from the National Health and Agri-food Quality Service, Senasa. This represents a fall of 13.2% in volume and 5.6% in value compared with the same month last year, 28.198 tons and 86.2 million dollars.

The January 2012 stats are made up of 17.888 tons of fish exports valued at 46.1 million dollars and 6.591 tons of shellfish, 35.3 million dollars.

The main export item was hake (Merluccius hubbsi) with 8.315 tons and 22.2 million dollars, up 19.3% in volume and 25.4% in value compared to January 2011with 6.965 tons and 17.7 million dollars.

The second item was shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri), with 3.252 tons valued 18.4 million dollars, down 16.7% in volume and 23.1% in value compared to the same month last year with 3.900 tons and 23.9m dollars.

Patagonian anchovy (Engraulis anchoita) exports totalled 3.203 tons and 7.7 million dollars; squid (Illex argentinus), 2.218 tons and 4.9 million dollars, down 12.6% in volume and up 6.5% in value. Croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) exports totalled 1.165 tons and 2.2 million dollars; Hoki (Macruronus magellanicus) 952 tons and 2 million dollars and Patagonian scallop (Zygochlamys patagonica), 775 tons, 9.3m dollars.

Weakfish (Cynoscion striatus) sales reached 425 tons and 893.000 dollars; golden kingklip (Genypterus blacodes) 409 tons and 1.5m dollars; fin rays (Potamotrygon brachyura), 307 tons and 727.000 dollars, and finally Patagonian flounder (Paralichthys patagonicus), 175 tons and 989.000 dollars.

Spain remained the main destination for Argentine seafood with 4.652 tons, worth 16.6 million dollars in January 2012. This was followed by Brazil with 3.379 tons (9.9 million dollars); the US with 1.514 tons, and 8 million dollars, and Italy with 1.413 tons and 5.9m dollars. (FIS/MP).-