Photo: courtesy Revista Puerto

Exports of frozen products in the first semester

ARGENTINA
Wednesday, July 28, 2021, 07:00 (GMT + 9)

Sharp drop in squid prices in all markets; increase in sales volume and prices of whole shrimp; and the drop in demand from China, even disappearing from the list of the main destinations, are the most relevant data in the report prepared by CaPeCA.

The monthly report produced by the Cámara de Armadores Pesqueros Congeladores de Argentina (CaPeCA) shows a sharp drop in squid prices in all markets, a situation similar to that of last year with hake with lower prices and an important recovery of the whole prawn. For black hake, there are decreases in price and stability in the spider crab. As revealed in the document, exports of all frozen fish products reached 236 thousand tons as of June 30, with a value close to 855 million dollars. The countries with the highest demand were Spain and China, but in the grouping by continent Asia occupies the first place contributing 337 million of the total and behind Europe with 280 million dollars.

Frozen illex squid unloaded from a 'Jigger' fishing vessel (Photo: courtesy Revista Puerto)

This year the situation for illex squid was not as good as last year, when volume and price seemed to have no ceiling. Prices fell sharply in all markets, between 25% and 30% below the values ​​of 2020. Another interesting fact is the strong reduction in demand from China, while in the first half of 2019 it bought about 50 thousand tons and in 2020 it exceeded 57 thousand tons, this year it required only 22 thousand tons and it did so for a value 24% lower than last year.

This year the greatest demand came from South Korea, which with 30 thousand tons ranked first. Sales to this country have been growing year after year; In 2019, for example, the total volume exported for the same period was only 5,000 tons. The price at which illex is sold in this destination is one of the lowest, at $ 1,930 per ton, while in other markets such as Spain the average price is $ 2,670.

In total, 102,505 tons were exported, at an average value of 2,046 dollars per ton. In volume, the drop compared to the same period in 2020 was 8.6% and in foreign currency, 30.8%.

Another product that has suffered a sharp drop in prices was the Patagonian toothfish in its main market, the United States. Of the 1,378 tons exported, 829 tons went to the northern country at an average price of US$ 13,390, 34% lower than the 2020 values. In contrast, China not only increased demand from 40 to 280 tons, but also the price was 2.6% higher than what they paid in 2020. In the total figures, an increase in sales volume of 22% and a income fall of 16% is observed.

The positive figures for the sector were provided by the whole shrimp. In total, 29 thousand tons have been sold, 78.3% more than last year and for an average value of 6,540 dollars, which implies an increase of 36%. The combination of these two variants results in an increase in the collection of 142.5% that translates into 190 million dollars contributed by this crustacean.

Spain, which leads the destination markets, not only increased its demand compared to 2020 by 135%, but with the 15 thousand tons exported it has even improved the demand for 2019. The average price for this country was 6,400 dollars, which implies an increase of 37% compared to the same period last year. China, which was able to occupy the second place of the main markets in recent years, in 2021 has directly disappeared from the list for this product.

The second place was occupied by Italy with 3,700 tons with a value per ton of 7,081 dollars, being one of the best paying. The third place was occupied by Japan with 3,187 tons at an average price of $ 6,700 per ton. Russia continues to increase its demand, although with one of the lowest values ​​in the market, in this first semester they required 2,300 tons at an average price of $ 6,400. The European continent with a contribution of 136 million dollars is the main destination for whole shrimp.

In the shrimp tails market, the low participation of China also stands out, which in the last two years was the main buyer of this product. From 9 thousand tons that it required in 2020, occupying the first place among the destination countries, this year it fell to fourth place with 3,769 tons, which implies a fall of 59.5%. The main destination of the shrimp tails is Spain with 4,630 tons at a value of 7,770 dollars, being one of the few countries in which the price has increased.

The second and third countries of destination of the shrimp tails are Thailand and Peru, places of reprocessing. 5,000 and 4,000 tons have been shipped to these countries respectively; in the first case an average value of $ 6,400 was paid and in the second $ 6,260 per ton. In both cases, the price suffered drops compared to 2020.

In total, 30,394 tons of shrimp tails have been sold, 5.9% more than in 2020 and 217 million dollars have been collected in foreign currency, 4.4% more than last year, the difference between these percentages is due to a 1.4% drop in the average price in the year-on-year comparison. The set of countries that require this product is located in Asia.

Sales of hake (hubbsi) in terms of fillets increased in volume, but this rise was not reflected to the same extent in the collection because it had a fall in the average price of almost 3%. In total, 28 thousand tons have been exported, 8.2% more than in 2020 and 77 million dollars have been received, 5% more than in the same period.

The main market continues to be Brazil, which with 13 thousand tons not only improved last year's sales by 22%, but also reached volumes very close to those of 2019; but it did so at a much lower value than the 3,180 dollars per ton that was paid two years ago, since now they have come to pay 2,745 dollars. Spain is the second most important market with just over 4 thousand tons, but demand has fallen by 29% compared to the previous year, while the United States, located in third place, grew in purchases (2,532 tons) by almost 13 % and paying the best price, at a rate of 2,925 dollars per ton.

Photo: courtesy El Marisco - Antonio di Leva

Frozen hake in presentations other than filet, has Russia as its main destination with 6 thousand tons at a value of $ 1,507 per ton. Compared to last year, sales have fallen by 31%, returning to the volumes of 2019 but also to the prices of that year, recovering three points compared to the values ​​of 2020. In total of this product, 14,458 tons have been sold, a 1.2% less than last year and almost 26 million dollars were collected, which implies an increase of 1.4% produced by a rise in the average price of 2.7% compared to the same period last year.

To close, regarding the king crab, a species on which experimental fishing is still being carried out and new possible places for sustainable exploitation are located, sales remained stable in volume with 1,060 tons, but a 2.6% higher in sales was obtained thanks to a 2% in price increase, with a turnover of 18 million dollars. The average value per ton was located at 17,300 dollars. Its main market, the United States, paid almost 17,500 per ton; on the other hand, China, the other identified market for this product, paid $ 17,163 per ton.

Source: Revista Puerto (article available only in spanish)

editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media

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