César Barros, the president of the Association of the Chilean Salmon Industry A.G. (Photo: SalmonChile/Stock File)

SalmonChile looking to expand in Brazilian market

CHILE
Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 23:10 (GMT + 9)

One of the main objectives that the Association of the Chilean Salmon Industry A.G. (SalmonChile) has set for this year is to develop an advertising campaign to promote domestic consumption of salmon in Brazil, announced the president of the organization, César Barros.

"SalmonChile is coordinating a program with the salmon businesses in conjunction with the Government to carry out a visual campaign for Chilean salmon in Brazil, which is an important market, considering that it is much closer than those markets which are common place to us. In time, we will launch something similar to this in the United States," said the leader.

For Barros, salmon sector companies will be the protagonists of the stock market this year.

"I think these decisions are positive for the sector, because the capitalized companies, have also compounded the industry. So new capital, new directors and new ideas are brought in," he said.

The SalmonChile President also referred to the recovery being experienced by the salmon industry after the crisis created by the spread of the infectious salmon anemia (ISA) virus, found in Chile in 2007.

"The new board, which increased from seven to nine members, has designing a strategy that is highly focused with measurable goals for this first year, focusing not only work with the board, but also with the Government and the Technological Salmon Institute (Intesal), in science and research," he continued explaining.

Barros believes that the sector has been 'democratized' in recent years, with the entry of new members and the establishment of commissions to evaluate the daily problems of the salmon industry members, reports Diario Financiero.

Earlier this month, Barros was ratified as the president of SalmonChile for a further two years, after four years at the organization.

"It is an honor for me to lead this guild, in a very difficult time, and achieved what we have in the way we have. The measures were an example of generosity, vision and unity not seen in any other industry in the world," said the leader.

However, the director of the National Confederation of Salmon (Conatrasal), Javier Ugarte, does not share that vision.

"The improvements were very weak in some areas. Like labour issues, for example," said the union leader.

"They are still making the same mistakes and that makes things complicated for us. When they talk of a 2.0 salmon industry, this has not been seen. That is obvious when they never assumed their responsibility for the ISA virus crisis," Ugarte told Radio Universidad de Chile.

Finally, the president of SalmonChile mentioned the recent establishment of the Panel of Experts to settle the differences between companies in relation to salmon smoltification in estuaries, lakes and rivers, among others.

"SalmonChile comprises about 60 per cent of the production of salmon and trout in the country, so we expect to be consulted and work on good terms with the experts," he said.

Related article:

- Committee of experts presented to aquaculture sector

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

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