Salmones Antártica facilities. (Photo: Salmones Antártica)

Another company leaves SalmonChile

Salmones Antártica S.A. is no longer a member of the Association of the Chilean Salmon Industry A.G. (SalmonChile), making it the fifth company to leave the guild in the past 12 months.

On Tuesday, executives at the Japanese firm submitted their official resignation to SalmonChile, as they believe that the institution completely devoted itself to the requirements of producers of Atlantic salmon, leaving out those involved in the production of coho salmon and trout.

"Salmones Antártica has been an excellent SalmonChile partner since its inception and, until recently, we were participants in this trade association, in the sense of integral participation for all its members," said the general manager of the company, Shigeru Kobayashi.

"However, since the appearance of the Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) virus, which generated this enormous crisis in the industry, we have felt that the vast majority of efforts and measures taken by the institution have been designed to meet the needs of producers of Atlantic salmon. Resulting in the neglection of other interests for companies producing coho salmon and trout, without there being an appropriate balance in the representation of different groups of producers," he continued to explain.

"Due to the previous reasons, the decision was taken to resign [from SalmonChile]," Kobayashi added.

According to available figures, between January and June 2010, the company exported - mainly rainbow trout - for USD 57 million, which is 27 per cent more than in the same period of 2009 (USD 45 million), reports Aqua.

In terms of volume, the company sent 8,099 tonnes abroad during the first semester, which is an increase of 19 per cent over the same period the previous year, when they exported 6,806 tonnes.

These figures, which were taken up to June 2010, resulted in Salmones Antártica becoming the fifth-largest exporter of Chilean salmonids.

SalmonChile have lost a number of members in recent months: Marine Farms GTM, Trusal, AquaChile and Invertec Pesquera Mar de Chiloé (Invermar).

The departure of AquaChile, the largest Chilean-owned salmon producer, occured following the resignation of its president Victor Hugo Puchi, as vice president of SalmonChile in early August.

At the time, AquaChile argued that there reason for leaving was that there were "insurmountable differences of substance."

Invertec based its departure on matters related to the self-regulatory role that the union was taking and the influence which Norwegian salmon farmers had.

Related articles:

- SalmonChile breaks silence over recent resignations
- AquaChile officially leaves SalmonChile

By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Address:	Ruta W-853 Km. 3.7, Huicha Rural Chonchi,
City:	Isla de Chiloé
State/ZIP:	X Región
Country:	Chile
Phone:	+56 65-673300
E-Mail:	[email protected]
More about:

 

 

Print