Chilean '09 salmon output down 6.7%

The Chilean salmon sector has marked a 6.7% decline in production in 2009.

The salmon industry crisis, as well as other economic variations, leaded the Chilean industrial production index to a 0.3% decrease in December 2009 totalising a 6.7% drop in the inter-annual variability last year. Likewise, the seasonally-adjusted variation in December 2009 was -1.1%.

According to a National Statistics Institute (INE) report, performance of the industrial sector throughout much of 2009 was set by effects of the global economic deceleration that generated lower external and internal demands in several industrial activities tied to a backlash in the salmon industry caused by ISA virus.

Besides, the document describes that industrial rhythm in December 2009 was mainly explained by continuous problems in the salmon industry that disallowed – to a large degree- strengthening of an industrial recovery.

Results in the 'Elaboration of food and beverage products' index negatively influenced industrial production due to a lower production of fish, fish fillets, other fish meat, liver and eggs and frozen fish as a negative repercussion of ISA virus.

The negative results of the salmon industry in 2009 caused drops in this index in 11 out of 12 months of the last year.