In 2025, fresh Atlantic salmon fillets were the most sought-after product format from the Chilean salmon industry in international markets.
Photo: SalmonChile.
"The 2025 results once again confirm salmon as the undisputed leader of Chile's non-mining exports." Arturo Clément, President of SalmonChile, summarized with these words the impact that the salmon industry has on the Chilean economy, based on last year's export data provided by the country's Central Bank and analyzed by the salmon farming trade association.
According to this analysis, salmon and trout exports reached USD 6.549 billion, representing a 3% increase over the previous year and consolidating the strategic value of salmon farming for the development of southern Chile and the Chilean economy as a whole.
"This figure not only reaffirms the strategic position of our productive sector for the national economy, but also shows that a single product, salmon, has an economic impact comparable to entire sectors such as fruit growing or forestry," Clément pointed out.
SalmonChile highlighted that salmon farming already accounts for 6% of Chile's export matrix. Last year, salmon significantly outpaced other non-mining export products, doubling the value of cherries, which reached USD 3.38 billion, and positioning itself as the second most exported product in 2025.
The report also reveals that in 2025, Chilean salmon accounted for 48% of industrial food exports, 29% of total food exports, and 15% of the country's non-mining exports. These indicators, said the trade association, underscore the sector's importance as a fundamental pillar of Chile's foreign trade.
In terms of international markets, the United States continues to be the main destination for Chilean salmon, accounting for 40% of exports and worth USD 2.399 billion. U.S. tariffs, which in Chile's case are 10%, affected Chilean salmon exports, but also gave it an advantage in this market over other countries such as Norway, which faces a 15% tariff.
Japan, with 17% and a value of USD 1.044 billion, and Brazil, with 13% of exports and a value of USD 796 million, were the next two most important destination markets. In particular, SalmonChile highlighted the growth of Japan, which increased by 11% over the previous year in terms of export value.
Regarding the formats most in demand on the international markets, the Chilean salmon farming trade association said that fresh Atlantic salmon fillets were the most popular with 25%, followed by frozen Atlantic salmon fillets with 18%, fresh whole Atlantic salmon with 16%, and frozen headless and gutted Coho salmon with14%.
According to SalmonChile, this variety of formats demonstrates the diversification of products and the ability of salmon farming to meet different consumer preferences in global markets. To respond to this demand, Chile increased its salmon harvest by 14% during 2025, while globally, together with Norway, they accounted for 77% of world production of this resource.
The analysis also revealed that four production companies account for 50% of Chilean salmon exports, while the top ten represent 78% of the total. By species, Atlantic salmon dominated exports with 72%, followed by Pacific salmon with 23% and trout with 5%.
With this performance, Chilean salmon farming has grown for three consecutive years, coming within reach of surpassing its historic record set in 2022, when it reached USD 6.606 billion.
Therefore, SalmonChile welcomed the closing figures of 2025, describing them as confirmation of the sector's resilience and competitiveness.
"Chilean salmon farming continues to be a driver of development for the southern regions and an ambassador for Chile around the world. We will continue to work on innovation, sustainability, and opening up markets to maintain this leadership in the coming years," concluded Arturo Clément.
On this path toward sustainability and responsible practices, SalmonChile closed 2025 by participating in a seminar on the sustainability of salmon farming organized by Oceana Chile, in what was an unprecedented meeting between the trade association and the ocean conservation and protection NGO.
In addition, the association has started 2026 with the publication of the scientific paper 'Insights and Lessons from Chilean Salmon Aquaculture on Antimicrobial Use', prepared by Intesal (SalmonChile's Salmon Technology Institute) and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, together with other prestigious national and international institutions.