88.8% drop in patagonian shrimp exports

Argentina's Fisheries Exports until May 2025: Squid Drives Growth, Shrimp Suffers Drastic Fall

ARGENTINA
Friday, July 11, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

Latest INDEC statistics reveal an 11% year-on-year increase in Argentina's overall fisheries production in May 2025. This growth is primarily due to a "colossal" rise in mollusks (squid), starkly contrasting with a "chilling" 88.8% decline in shrimp exports.

BUENOS AIRES – Argentina's fishing industry presents a dual picture, according to the latest industrial production report published by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) on July 7, as analyzed by Revista Puerto. While overall fisheries production showed an 11.8% year-on-year increase in May 2025, performance by species reveals a stark disparity between squid and shrimp.

Click on the image to enlarge it

The INDEC report highlights that the Fisheries Industrial Production Index (IPI) grew by 11.8% in May 2025 compared to the same month last year, and by 4.0% in the accumulated period from January to May 2025. However, a breakdown of the data reveals a "simplified x-ray of the reality" facing the fishing industry.

Species Disparity: The Rise of Squid vs. The Shrimp Crisis

Mollusks, primarily represented by Illex squid, are the big winners. This group recorded an 82.8% increase in May year-on-year and a 21.6% rise in the January-May accumulated period. This surge in squid, which has enjoyed successful catch seasons, high demand, and rising prices since last year, had a "positive impact of 37.0%" on the overall index.

In contrast, the crustacean group, dominated by shrimp, presented the most concerning figure: an 88.8% decline in May compared to the previous year. In the accumulated period from January to May 2025, the decrease was 19.2%. This significant drop had a "negative impact of 26.1%" on the year-on-year variation of the general index, underscoring the "uncertain moment" faced by key products in this group.

The fish group saw a 3.6% increase in May year-on-year, though the January-May accumulated period showed a 4.1% decrease, reflecting challenges for species like hubbsi hake.

Performance by Vessel Type and Underlying Factors

The report also details performance by vessel type:

• Fresh fish trawlers experienced a 9.7% drop in May year-on-year, possibly due to reduced fleet activity in recent months. However, their accumulated January-May figures rose by 17.2%, which could be explained by an "extraordinary season in Rawson."

• Freezer vessels showed a 16.8% increase in May year-on-year. This growth is attributed to the "intense activity of the jigger sector" (illex squid), which had a positive impact of 13.6% on the overall index. Nevertheless, the accumulated January-May period for freezer vessels registered a 1.5% decrease, a figure "surely mitigated" by squid fishing, given that "around one hundred vessels are inactive" due to a labor dispute in the freezer trawler (langostino) sector.

The current situation highlights the resilience of the squid sector amidst the challenges faced by Argentina's shrimp fishery.

editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media

Print