SalmonChile President Cesar Barros estimates a salmon production recovery of around 10 per cent in 2011. (Photo: SalmonChile)

Recovery for salmon industry slated for 2011

CHILE
Friday, May 07, 2010, 23:40 (GMT + 9)

The Salmon Industry Association of Chile AG (SalmonChile) estimates that salmon production will reach 385,000 gross tonnes and 245,000 net tonnes in 2011, which would imply a recovery of around 10 per cent with respect to this year.

That productive increase would to a large extent be assured if the farming companies accede to planned financing, have specimens for breeding available and if salmon mortality drops.

SalmonChile noted the salmon production fell 30 per cent this year, the result of sanitary problems caused by national infectious-salmon-anaemia (ISA) virus outbreaks, which first raged in 2007.

“Even if we were able to have the same numbers of active centres there were at the peak, because of the obligatory three-month rests in each cycle, the production will be 30 per cent lower,” said SalmonChile President Cesar Barros.

As of next year, “there could be an interesting increase of 10 per cent, for example. But it is going to depend on how smolt stocking goes this year,” he explained.

The sector also calculates an investment of USD 500 million to adapt the infrastructure of present centres to a new model for sanitary control, due to the recent reform of the General Fisheries and Aquaculture Law (LGPA), he added.

For the trade union leader, the current top fish prices are encouraging for a recovery, although once the consolidation of Chilean shipments overseas is obtained, the value will be adjusted down, Reuters reports.

SalmonChile seeks to reclaim the markets lost during the sanitary crisis and indicated its satisfaction at the opening of new markets in Asia and Brazil.

The spread of the ISA virus not only caused a steep decline in Chilean salmon production, but also changed the backdrop of the salmon farming industry: while big companies saw their presence diminish in the market, the smallest firms watched their roles grow.

The big firms registered lower salmon productions for they moved up their harvests and paralysed smolt stocking in their farming centres. That, as well, allowed small and mid-sized firms to be ranked amongst the main salmon exporters.

"What we have seen is that smaller-sized firms are getting bigger. There are relative changes and we are not necessarily seeing a build-up,” Barros said.

Related article:

- ISA virus changes backdrop of the salmon farming industry

By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

 SalmonChile - Asociación de la Industria del Salmón A.G

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