Peru to export direct human consumption fishing products worth US$1.5 bn in 2018

Peru to export direct human consumption fishing products worth US$1.5 bn in 2018

Peru’s fishery exports for direct human consumption will total US$1.5 billion in 2018 due to better oceanographic conditions, National Society of Industries (SNI) projected Monday.

According to SNI’s Fishing and Aquaculture Committee Chair Carlos Milanovitch, the recovery in catches of hake, giant squid, silverside, and dolphinfish —over the first five months of this year— is the result of the favorable conditions of Peru’s coastal waters.

“We believe export volume in this sector will increase 50% in 2018, going from US$1 billion to US$1.5 billion. This will mean a similar expansion in the employment of direct labor (…),” he underlined.

On the other hand, Milanovitch pointed out there are still no fishing licenses available for the capture of anchovy destined for direct human consumption, only for fishmeal production.

“There is no availability of fishing licenses for the capture of anchovy for direct human consumption, which must be fished in small quantities with higher costs (…),” he explained.

Likewise, the SNI officer affirmed that if the Government promotes anchovy fishing for direct human consumption, malnutrition and anemia —among children and the elderly— will be eradicated in a short time.

“(Anchovy is) A species with a high content of proteins and Omega oils that may reach large sectors of the population at a low cost,” he concluded.