Domestic sales for Grupo Calvo’s El Salvador production are expected to show growth significantly through 2013, with an increase of 15 percent predicted for the close of the year.
Calvo’s operations manager in El Salvador, Boris Quintanilla, said: “El Salvador exported USD 112 million in 2012, which meant growth. We expect to hold this for some time.â€
Quintanilla emphasized the benefits that would come from a trade agreement with the European Union for the company’s sale of tuna in Central America. He said: “A resulting economic agreement is legal certainty, and gives additional benefits.â€
The partnership with one of the world’s largest tuna markets will allow for the exportation of 4,000 tons of tuna steak under flexible rules of origin. Around 240 tons of this tuna will remain in El Salvador for domestic consumption.
However, Quintanilla added that the main problems faced in the tuna sector within El Salvador were high costs of operation, electricity and the difficulty of obtaining raw material that can enter the European market, due to “the various regulations that are there.â€
A strong 23 percent growth in global sales has also been experienced by Grupo Calvo as a whole, when comparing the first six months of 2012 and 2013. The canned tuna and consumer goods company, headquartered in Spain, expects this trend to continue to the end of the year.
