July 29, 2013
Peru reports sharp fall in fishmeal, fish oil exports
Peru''s fish exports generated US$121.6 million in revenue in May, representing 30.2% less than in the same month in 2012, when their value was US$174.1 million.
The Ministry of Production (Produce) reported that the volume of exports fell by 48.8%, reaching 53,400 tonnes, compared to 104,200 tonnes shipped a year earlier.
This decrease was mainly due to lower sales of fishery products for indirect human consumption and for their presentation as frozen goods.
According to the latest Statistical Bulletin prepared by Produce, between January and May 2013 the sale of 406,600 tonnes abroad generated US$864.4 million while in the same period last year 937,800 tonnes worth US$1,396.7 million had been exported.
In May 2013, exports of fishmeal reached 12,100 tonnes amounting to US$23.5 million, figures that represent falls of 77.6% and 65.2%, respectively, compared with the same month last year (53,800 tonnes and US$67.5 million).
The main markets for Peruvian fishmeal were Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Bulgaria. During the first five months of the year 180,200 tonnes of fishmeal were exported, that is to say, 70.9% less than in the same period in 2012 (618,300 tonnes).
May exports increased sales of fishmeal abroad in the first five months of US$333 million, 55% less than in the same period of 2012 (US$739.4 million).
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China absorbed the largest amount of exports of fish oil, which in the first five months totalled 28,300 tonnes, that is to say, 74.8% less than the same period last year (112,500 tonnes).
In May 2013 some 31,900 tonnes of frozen products were also exported, a volume that accounts for a decrease of 14.1% from 37,100 tonnes exported a year earlier.
In the first five months of this year 150,100 tonnes of frozen products were sold abroad, 0.5% less than in the same period in 2012 (150,800 tonnes).