Russia Wants Chilean Seafood

Kate Casey In the ready-to-eat market segment for seafood products like salmon, scallops, crabs, squids, and mussels, consumption has soared in Russia - growing an average of thirty percent annually since the turn of the century. Norway remains the most important supplier of fish and fish products to Russia, but in Chile the Russian demand is now felt in nearly all seafood production areas. Local traders and brokers representing Russian buyers have been extremely aggressive in the national seafood market in recent years, paying astounding prices to compete with Japan, the U.S. and Europe for a share of Chile’s market. According to Revista Mundo Acuicola, representatives of the Federal Service of Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control of the Russian Federation are currently visiting a number of processing plants in the 9th and 10th Regions until this Wednesday. Russian inspectors Igor V.Kapnulin, Maxim Ivashkov and Nicolay Smolnikov, are being accompanied by authorities from Sernapesca (Chile’s National Fisheries Service) to visit plants belonging to: Pesquera El Golfo, Pesquera Itata, Frigorifico Pacífico, Pesquera Bío-Bío, Fitz Roy, Aguas Claras, Salmones Antártica, Salmones Andes and Multiexport. According to the Russian Embassy, this visit is part of a strategic policy to review not only seafood products but also diverse food products that Russia imports from countries ranging from Chile to Vietnam.