July 10, 2010

 

Chile's industry group expects higher salmon production

The Industry Association of Chilean Salmon (SalmonChile) forecasts that salmon production would exceed the 245,000 gross tonnes originally estimated for 2010.

 

In addition, yields would be higher than the 300,000 tonnes expected for 2011, said the general manager of the association, Carlos Odebret.

 

He believes that this increase would occur due to better practices in production, following the outbreak of the infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISA) which affected the industry from 2007.

 

"We will have an increase in the estimate of production," Odebret said. "We are harvesting two kilos or one and a half a kilo more than we had projected, and with a shorter cycle."

 

Odrebet met with representatives of the National Confederation of Salmon Workers (Conatrasal) to discuss the current status of the development of the industry and its employment status.

 

Last June, the financial institutions related to the Chilean salmon industry were optimistic with the recovery of the sector and are confident on its viability in the medium and long term, after the crisis caused by the ISA virus.

 

Since 2007, the salmon companies have been facing the consequences of the disease, and were forced to refinance their liabilities by approximately US$1.6 billion.