A historic milestone: First shipment of Chilean salmon exported to Australia

A significant milestone has been reached for Chile's seafood industry as the country's first shipment of fresh, chilled salmon fillets arrived in Australia. The 220-kilogram cargo, exported by two prominent Chilean companies, marks the beginning of a new chapter for Chilean seafood exports.

Transported by LATAM Cargo Group on flight LA805, which departed from Santiago in the early morning of November 27, this shipment represents a groundbreaking achievement for the Chilean salmon industry, marking the first time Chilean salmon has touched down on Australian soil.

To achieve this milestone, a rigorous and extensive audit process was conducted by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca), with support from ProChile. This audit ensured that the product met the stringent requirements of the Australian market, both in terms of sanitary controls and food safety.

In late September, the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) officially recognized Chile as a country eligible to export processed salmonids, designating Sernapesca as the competent authority for sanitary and safety certification.

Soledad Tapia Almonacid, National Director of Sernapesca, highlighted the significance of this achievement for Chile. "After a lengthy audit process of Sernapesca's inspection, control, and certification systems across the entire salmon value chain, the successful completion of this first export to Australia is a testament to the hard work of the entire salmoniculture industry and our service as the competent authority for certification and export facilitation," she stated.

Natalia Arcos, International Director of ProChile, emphasized the importance of this milestone for salmon exports, stating, "This achievement is crucial for our salmon exports as it opens up a market of over 26 million people, offering significant potential for our products. Furthermore, it diversifies our export destinations and creates new opportunities for Chilean companies in the sector."

Cristian Rodríguez, Regional Secretary of Economy for the Metropolitan region, highlighted the significance of this first shipment of fresh salmon to Australia, a market previously closed to Chilean products. "This is a major milestone, as it opens the door for many more companies to export to this highly attractive market. This means increased investment, more jobs, and a boost to the global economy," he said.

Mario Aguilera, Corporate Manager of Logistics and Commercial Operations at Camanchaca, one of the exporting companies, expressed his pride in participating in this historic first shipment. "We hope this is the first of many shipments to Australia, a highly demanding market. This demonstrates Chile's capacity and potential to reach the most demanding markets with sustainable and healthy products," he added.

Claudio Torres, Commercial Director for South America at LATAM Cargo, which handled 49% of Chilean salmon exports this year, stated, "Today, we celebrate a historic milestone for the Chilean aquaculture industry: the first shipment of fresh salmon to Australia. At LATAM Cargo Group, we are committed to finding specialized solutions for our customers and adapting to their needs. This achievement is a testament to that commitment. We will continue working to create more opportunities for our customers and promote Chilean salmon worldwide."

Chile currently exports frozen and fresh salmon to 76 countries, with the main markets being the United States, Brazil, Russia, China, and the European Union. In 2023, salmon exports exceeded US$6 billion, and this year, they have already reached US$4.1 billion.

Australia is already a destination for Chilean seafood products. In 2023, the most significant exports included fish oil (2,760 tons) and frozen bivalve mollusks (758 tons).