Social conflict in Aysén had a cost of US$ 5 million for Invertec
The salmon division of the local producing company Invertec Pesquera del Mar de Chiloé recorded losses of US$ 6.9 million in the first quarter of this year which compare negatively to the US$ 4.8 million in profits obtained by the division in the same period of 2011. According to the company, this result is explained by lower prices, higher production costs and some consequences from the social conflict in Aysén.
Invertec describes that four of their farming sites were impacted by the standstill in several production activities in the area together with some port blockades and traffic disruptions during the social conflict. Moreover, two of those sites were affected by outbreaks of Piscirickettsia salmonis (SRS) which went out of control without medications, specialized feeding, retrieval of mortalities, early harvests, etc. Mortality rates climbed up to 38-40 percent in those farming sites.
This situation allegedly caused a gross loss margin of US$ 3.5 million and around US$ 1.2 million in other losses recorded in the first quarter of this year. It is expected that another US$ 3.8 million in losses will be registered in the next quarterly report due to the social conflict.
