Jumbo flying squid. (Photo: Adex)
Between January and August 2014, Peru exported jumbo flying squid (Dosidicus gigas) for USD 197.3 million, a figure which shows an increase of 6.4 per cent over the same period last year.
According to the Association of Exporters (ADEX), this increase is due to the high demand from major markets and to the growing range of products with higher added value.
In the first eight months of the year, 67 countries received frozen jumbo flying squid and prepared jumbo flying squid from Peru.
Spain was the main target market, increasing its demand by 42 per cent. In the second place Thailand was located despite its orders fell by 29.8 per cent; and the countries that followed were South Korea, China, Italy and Venezuela.
Portugal was ranked 11th among the major importers of Peruvian jumbo flying squid but it is important to note that its purchases grew by 96.9 per cent in the first eight months of 2014.
According to the data provided by ADEX, jumbo flying squid exports have maintained an upward trend in recent years: they increased 55.2 per cent in 2010, 45.8 per cent in 2011, 2.8 per cent in 2012 and 10.4 per cent in 2013.
The main exported jumbo flying squid presentations were sliced, tentacles, fillets and rings, among others.
The slices and rings reached a higher price than the tentacles due to its added value.
Meanwhile, the lots 'other cuttlefish, bobtail, squid and frozen, dried and salted jumbo flying squid' and 'prepared or preserved' cuttlefish and squid were exported reached USD 197.1 million and USD 141,000, respectively.
The main companies that exported Peruvian jumbo flying squid were Productora Andina de Congelados, CNC, Proveedora de Productos Marinos, Costa Mira, Seafrost andPeruvian Sea Food, among others.