This is a 12.8% increase over the same period last year, indicating that the USD 2.5 billion target for the whole twelve months can be achieved, reported the Fisheries National Society, SNP.

Molluscs and shellfish were the most dynamic item with a 38.5% increase totaling USD 93.7 million.

Frozen fish sales expanded 21.3% from USD 620 million to USD 752 million. Canned fisheries grew 13.1% reaching USD 95 million.

Fishmeal exports in the first seven months totaled 340,677 tons, equivalent to 42% of all fisheries exports. Fishmeal was selling at an average USD 680 per ton in July, which is a 10.9% increase over the same period in 2003.

SNP also reported that a joint Chilean-Peruvian trade mission who visited the main European capitals had returned after strongly lobbying against EU restrictions on feeding fishmeal to ruminants. The ban was imposed in 2001 as a direct consequence of the "mad cow" epidemics that swept Europe at the time.

Peru and Chile are the world's main suppliers of fishmeal.

Source: eFeedLink - 7th October 2004