Brazilians Expected To Eat 1 Kilo More Of Tuna By 2021ff
24 October 2013
Brazil
New figures have revealed that Brazilian fish consumption has taken a significant rise in the past few years. This growth is only expected to continue, and by 2021 it is predicted that fish consumption in the South American country will be one kilogram per person per year higher than what it was in 2012. Brazil is said to be an emerging market for tuna.
Food and Agriculture Organization figures show that fish consumption in Brazil is likely to see a boost from 9 kilograms per capita last year to 10 kilograms by 2021. Such an increase is likely to have an effect on the canned tuna market.
In a presentation at the Solomon Island Pacific Tuna Forum in September, Dario Chemerinski, Emerging Markets Export Manager at Costa d’Oro S.p.A, outlined that many developing countries were increasing their fish consumption. He explained that if the world was to eat one kilogram extra of fish per person per year, and the population grew by the expected 700 million new consumers, he calculated that 70,000 tons more canned tuna would have to be produced to meet the demand.
Translating to 160,000 tons more of tuna catch annually across the globe, concerns are raised in the ability the industry has to resource this growth at a time where tuna catch is stable at around 4.4 million.
Despite the potential for aquaculture in the country, Brazil still mainly relies on cheap fish imports from China and Vietnam. Between 2007 and 2011, fish exported from China to Brazil rose dramatically from 3,000 to 79,700 tons according to the Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex).
