Salmon exports up by 46%

Christian Pérez   Chilean salmon exports rose by 46 per cent in the first half of 2014 - from US$ 1,323 million in the first half of 2013 to US$ 1,928 million in the same period of this year - according to the latest Foreign Trade report prepared by the Directorate General for International Economic Relations (Direcon).   Between January and June 2014, returns from salmon exports to the US totalled US$ 695 million compared to US$ 496 million in the same period of 2013. Meanwhile, Chilean salmon exports to the European Union saw a 25 per cent increase, from US$ 108 million in the first half of 2013 to US$ 135 million in the same period of 2014.    Exports to China increased 111 per cent, from US$ 30 million up to June 2013 to US$ 64 million in the same period of this year.   Salmon shipments to Brazil rose by 47 per cent, with sales of US$ 297 million between January and June 2014, versus US$ 203 million in the same period of 2013. Moreover, exports to Japan grew 40 per cent in the period, while shipments to South Korea experienced an 87 per cent increase, reaching US$ 35 million versus the US$ 19 million reported in the first half of 2013.