September 3, 2013

From January to June 2013, Peru's aquaculture exports reached US$120 million, a rise of 39% over the same period in 2012, at US$86 million, according to the Service Management and Capture Industries of the Association of Exporters (ADEX).

Elie Barsimantov, general manager of Corporación Refrigerados INY, observed that, taking into account the variation in prices, the true growth of the subsector was 10% in the first half of this year.

According to ADEX report, between January and June, 12,890 tonnes were exported, a volume of which prawns and scallops accounted for 54.1% and 41%, respectively.

Peru also exported trout, tilapia and paiche, among other species. The paiche was the aquaculture product which sees an international sales growth of 93% in 2013 compared to the first half of 2012. Meanwhile, scallop exports rose 50%, reaching US$49.3 million.

Barsimantov noted that in the case of paiche species, a higher number brings a better price.

In addition, he stressed that while scallop prices dropped sharply, this decline was offset by an increase in export volumes.

The ADEX report also indicates that sales of shrimp and trout which grew by 36% and 10%, respectively, while tilapia shipments fell by 29%.

France accounted for 25% of Peruvian exports of scallops while the US bought the three-quarters of shrimp shipped overseas. Canada accounts for a third of trout sales.