BRASILIA: Brazilian seafood imports continued to rise last year, but the ongoing economic crisis is slowing seafood consumption growth in the country, Despite the recent statement of the Brazilian president, Michel Temer, in Davos, Switzerland, last week that “Brazil is back in business”, seafood orders ahead of the Easter celebration, a period where seafood consumption in the country peaks, are relatively “slow”, sources noted. Temer urged the industry giants at the World Economic Forum to invest in his country despite its falling credit rating, by promising tax reform,
Brazilian imports of double-frozen pollock, hake and other whitefish from Chinese re-processors, according to Aliceweb figures. But the data for the first three months of this year, ahead of Easter, should show a drop in re-processed fish from China and Vietnam, according to sources. Thus, the first months of the year, when the orders for the Easter celebration are made, is normally the period with highest demand. Last year, however, the crackdown in Chinese imports started in the second part of the year. The decrease in imports of processed fish from China is expected to boost Brazilian demand for products from other origins and also for raw material processed in Brazil, supporting the development of the local processing industry, sources said last year.
