MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine fisheries exports stable during the first half of 2019

Landings in Jan/June totaled 412.730 tons, which is 33.475 above a year ago.

Argentina's fish, seafood and sea shell landings increased 8.8% during the first six months of the year compared to the same period in 2018. Exports, on the other hand, slid 0.3% as did income generated, 2.9%, according to the latest release from the country's Fisheries Under Secretariat.

Landings in Jan/June totaled 412.730 tons, which is 33.475 above a year ago. Hubbsi hake with 169,662, up 47%, was the star together with long tail hake, which jumped 58.5% to 24.885 tons.

This despite the fact overall squid was down 12.9% to 93.786 tons, prawns, down 8.6% to 75.669 tons, as well as other minor species.

Mar del Plata again was the main landing port with a slight increase over the first half of 2018, totaling 183.034 tons. Here also even when squid was down the good hake crop more than compensated.

Regarding exports, in the five months of this year, some 780,258 tons were shipped overseas, a slight drop of 0.3%, although the loss was greater in income, 2.9% to US$ 780.2 million.

This is attributed to lower prices for squid, hake, pink cuskeel, king crab, toothfish among other species. China, Spain, United States, Brazil and Russia figure as the main markets for Argentine fish produce.