Algae products. (Photo: Algamar)

Algae exports grow

CHILE
Friday, August 03, 2012, 16:20 (GMT + 9)

Between January and May 2012, exports of products made from algae generated a total of USD 104 million, according to the Fisheries Development Institute (IFOP).

According to the Bulletin of Fisheries and Aquaculture Exports issued by the Institute, the figure is 15.6 per cent higher than that obtained in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the contribution of these products to total revenues earned as a result of the exports of the fisheries sector from Chile was 5 per cent.

In May alone, 6,707 tonnes of algae products were exported for USD 21.6 million. The exported volume shows a 14.2 per cent decline in relation to what had been marketed in the same month in 2011.

As it was detailed in the newsletter issued by IFOP, the average FOB price of all the exported algae products in the first five months of 2012 was USD 2,829 per tonne, 12.8 per cent over the same period in 2011.

The main products based on exported algae until last May were dried algae (89.2 per cent), carrageenan (6.3 per cent) and agar agar (2.4 per cent).

"All the transactions as to algae and their derivatives rose compared to the same period last year, with the exception of alginic acid, colagar and alginate magnesium," IFOP stated.

In the bulletin of the Institute it is also indicated that the income earned between January and May 2012 "placed dried algae exports in the first place with 43.2 per cent of the share, followed by carrageenan with a contribution of 26.8 per cent. Meanwhile, agar was third with a share of 19.5 per cent."

Until the fifth month of the year, the three main companies – out of a total of 10 exporting products made from algae -- were: Algamar (USD 16.5 million), Gelymar (USD 16.3 million) and Danalg (USD 11 , 7 million).

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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