After months of efforts the ProChile Trade Office in New Delhi and Aquachile, Marcela Zúñiga, the director of ProChile in this country, has announced that they have managed to reopen salmon exports to the Indian market, with a first shipment of 500 kilos in total, including frozen fillets of Coho and Atlantic Salmon.
Now, Indian restaurants and supermarkets will have again among their products Chilean coho and salmon that did not have it since 2017. Zúñiga explained that he gave the news full of emotion, it is “a great joy and pride to be able to make this result known, as it is the product of teamwork carried out by the public and private sector.”
Although salmon is the leading food exported by Chile, with shipments reaching USD 6,637 million (EUR 6,038 million) and more than 70 markets in 2022, since 2017, India was not among them.
However, it had nothing to do with the lack of demand. India is not only a country where fish and seafood are traditionally a consumer product but also because of its tourism. Specifically, in the case of salmon, apart from its nutritional characteristics, it is one of the fish in demand by the hotel and catering sector, given its price.
For the regional director of ProChile in Los Lagos, Ricardo Arriagada, this is “excellent news for this entire industry.” To he added that it materialized the efforts to “bring Chilean products commercially closer to India” and that steps forward were currently being taken.
Private sector pleased with initiative in India
Of course, not only ProChile savored the good news positively, but AquaChile also welcomed it with enthusiasm. Alejandro Cuevas, the sales manager at AquaChile, expressed his excitement about commencing sales in India. He noted that India, with its population of 1.4 billion, offers substantial growth opportunities due to its strong economic progress in recent years. “We have worked hard with Sernapesca, ProChile in India, and our clients, to advance in the necessary certification for this market.”
Furthermore, he specified that they would make the first shipment this week, with expectations of ongoing sales progress throughout the year. “We are confident that AquaChile’s salmon will have an excellent reception in this new market.”
About ProChile
ProChile n organization affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, actively propels the global reach of Chilean products and services. Their international network showcases investment prospects, sustainable trade, and inclusive strategies. With a focus on both enterprise expansion and national image enhancement, they champion Chilean businesses on the world stage.
About AquaChile
AquaChile is a Southern Chilean-born salmon production company that takes immense pride in its heritage. The company cultivates and processes its products in the picturesque Patagonian landscape, offering a monthly capacity to provide nutritious salmon to over 150 million people worldwide. A result of the amalgamation of AquaChile, Los Fiordos, Salmones Magallanes, and select assets from Friosur’s salmon division, this company holds the distinction of being Chile’s largest and the world’s second-largest salmon producer. Operating on a fully integrated model, they oversee the entire salmon lifecycle, ensuring top-tier biosecurity and animal welfare standards at every stage.
