Marine Harvest Chile faces its grim reality
Since the initial spread of ISA eight months ago Marine Harvest Chile’s production level fell into a downward spiral. By mid November the lay-offs began, starting with the company’s financial controller, a handful of professionals and close to 200 farm and factory workers. Today many professionals are seeking employment elsewhere as they prepare for their pink slip, and the toll for blue-collar workers has surpassed 250. Although according to Aqua.cl, the company reached an agreement with the worker unions involved to provide new employment positions for 60% of union member workers. For most of 2008 and 2009 the company must evacuate from Chiloé Island and invest heavily in setting up grow-out farms in new license areas farther south. This year Marine Harvest will spend an estimated US$ 20 million in six new farm sites in the region of Aysén. In 2009 the plan is to focus on production efficiency before going full force with production again in 2010, opening up may new farm areas in Aysén and the Magallanes Region. “Marine Harvest is certain that Chile will continue to be a regional leader in salmon farming in the near future,” the company affirmed in a presentation for its stakeholders in Oslo last Friday.
