Brazil sets record in fish exports

Brazil achieved a record for exports of fish farming, according to the study carried out by Embrapa Pesca e Aquicultura. The survey, prepared in partnership with the Associação Brasileira da Piscicultura (Peixe BR), shows a 15% increase in revenues from exports in the sector in 2022, reaching U$S 23 million and 800 thousand dollars, the highest in history of the sector. Compared to 2021, tilapia, the species most sold to other countries, recorded a 28% increase in exports, which represents 23 million and 200 thousand dollars.

The monthly analysis of exports indicates variation throughout the year, with the highest volume, in financial values ​​and in tons, in the month of May. For Embrapa researcher Manoel Pedroza, some of the factors that contributed to the increase in exports in the sector were the growth of professionalization and the increase in the scale of production. He explains that some peculiarities of tilapia contribute to its being the species most sold to foreigners.

“First is the question of price: It is a relatively competitive product, mainly from marine fisheries, tilapia ends up having a lower price. The issue of supply: what is a farmed fish like, if there is supply all year round. And the other issue is versatility. It is a fish that does not have a strong taste, easy to work with in cooking”.

The researcher pointed out some factors that negatively affect the sector, such as high production prices and the cost of feed, which since the pandemic has increased by more than 70%, in addition to the high price in the domestic market. He reveals that despite the first quarter of 2023 having shown a drop in exports, the expectation is for an increase over the course of this year. “Lent, Holy Week, there is a very high demand for fish here in Brazil, so it is normal that in the first quarter exports are not so high. But there are several companies that started exporting frozen tilapia fillet, whole frozen tilapia. They are starting to export to Arab countries, using Halal Certification. So, this set of factors I believe will lead to an increase in exports in 2023”.

Among the states that most exported fish farming products, the highlight was Paraná, responsible for 58% of total exports, with an increase of 114% in relation to the previous year. In second place appears Mato Grosso do Sul, with 18% of the total, followed by Bahia, with 11%. São Paulo deserves to be highlighted, with 127% growth compared to 2021.

Although Brazilian fish farming has enormous potential, research shows that it is an activity with less than a decade of existence and faces several obstacles such as high bureaucracy in environmental licensing processes and the need for the production of native species.