Calvo Group Starts Second Tuna Plant In El Salvadorff

The Spanish Calvo Group inaugurated, yesterday Wednesday 25th January, a new tuna canning factory in the port of La Union, in the East of El Salvador, a strategic point off the Pacific Ocean. Calvo presence in this country commenced four years ago when the company's fleet started fishing tuna carrying Salvadorian flag.

Presently, the president of the company, Mr. Jose Luis Calvo, informed the press that the new cannery, which is expected to be operating to its full capacity within a two year period, emphasizing it will generate an additional 300 working positions to the already existing 1000 jobs created by Calvo in its current installations. Mr. Calvo also said that the inauguration of the new factory "means that Calvo continues to grow”. “It is an ambitious project, as it will take two or three years to set it up. The most important issue once the plant is operational is the production’s destination”.

The main factory where tuna will be selected, cut and cleaned, and canned in three different presentations: canned in vegetable oil, in olive oil, and in brine, has the capacity to produce 300 tons daily, in three shifts. The current production is 200 tons. It is located in the Port of La Union, about 103 kilometers from the South-Western Area of San Salvador. The plant has capacity to produce 300 tuna tons per day through three shifts, however nowadays the daily production is about 200 tons.

Calvo explained that the cannery plant capacity will depend on the fishery and on demand, and announced that they will establish a line of  products in glass jars, a packaging which is much demanded in Spain and Italy.

Grupo Calvo executives expect the plant, requiring a USD 6 million investment, to produce 20 million cans this year to distribute in the US, Mexico, Central America, and Venezuela.

Mr. Calvo also indicated that when the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Central America, Dominican Republic and United States comes into effect (CAFTA-DR) it will represent a good opportunity for the company since two years ago Calvo has its own office in Miami, Florida to promote its products.  European quality with Salvadorian origin and this is very important for the Hispanic population.

After highlighting the significance of the FTA with US, Calvo also deemed the agreement signed by El Salvador and Mexico as attractive, though he regretted that it was signed “before the Grupo arrived and tuna was left out.”

In this respect, the executive said they would support the Salvadorian government in an eventual renegotiation of the agreement to allow local processed tuna get a similar treatment in Guatemala (subjected to a levy, a period of tax relief, and an exempted annual quota).