Chilean Squid Exports Surge

According to the latest report from ProChile, the Chilean government's trade promotion agency, Chile's seafood exports increased by 1.5% year-on-year in January 2025, mainly driven by a surge in squid exports.

Data showed that Chilean squid exports surged 1,939.6% to $22 million. This astonishing growth has greatly boosted Chile's fisheries and aquaculture industries, increasing the industry's overall exports to $837 million.

Although Chile's traditional seafood exports, such as salmon and trout, fell 2.7% to a total of $656 million, the growth of other seafood categories made up for the loss.

In addition to squid, Chile's mackerel and mussel exports also performed strongly. Among them, mackerel exports increased by 65.4% to a total of $35 million, while mussel exports increased by 19.2%, also reaching a total of $22 million.

Performance of major export markets

The United States remained the largest market for Chilean seafood, with imports of $237 million, despite a 8.8% drop in total imports. This decline was mainly affected by a 6.8% drop in salmon and trout exports and a 9.8% drop in fish oil exports.

Japan, the second largest market, saw imports fall 8.6% to $161 million. However, demand for Chilean squid in the Japanese market rose sharply, with squid imports increasing by a staggering 2,693.9%, significantly driving the growth of Chile's non-salmonid seafood exports.

In other markets, both Brazil and Russia showed positive growth trends. Brazil's imports increased by 4.4%, mainly driven by salmon and trout sales; while the Russian market grew by 36%, thanks to increased exports of salmon, trout and mussles.

Despite the challenges faced by Chilean salmon exports, the strong growth of squid, mackerel and mussels successfully made up for the losses, allowing Chile's overall seafood exports to maintain growth momentum. As global market demand changes, Chile's fisheries and aquaculture industries may further adjust their export strategies to ensure the continued development of the industry.