Seafood product exports from Uruguay grew 21 per cent in volume and 19.5 per cent in value in the first six months of this year, compared to the same period in 2016.
According to statistics from the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources (DINARA), between January and June 2017, Uruguay exported 23,932 tonnes of seafood products worth a total of USD 39.3 million.
The unit price of the products exported in this period averaged USD 1,641 per ton, which implies a decrease of 1.56 per cent year-on-year.
Brazil remained the main market for Uruguayan products in the first half of the year, with the purchase of 5,497 tonnes for USD 10.1 million. The United States ranked second, since the country imported 352 tonnes valued at USD 3.2 million. It was followed by Nigeria (2,260 tonnes and USD 3.1 million), Gabon (1,455 tonnes and USD 2.3 million) and Russia (1,306 tonnes and USD 1.9 million).
The most exported products were whole fish and frozen eviscerated fish (22,490 tonnes for USD 35.7 million), fillets (701 tonnes for USD 1.7 million) and empanadas, prepared and preserved products (213 tonnes for USD 969,000).
The croaker was the main species sold abroad, with 7,857 tonnes exported for USD 11.9 million. It was followed by hake (3,937 tonnes and almost USD 5 million), blue shark (2,176 tonnes for USD 4.8 million), Patagonian toothfish (269 tonnes for USD 3.9 million) and shad (2,149 tonnes for USD 2.8 million).
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