Brazil: Tilapia exports hit record in 2021

Sales of Brazilian tilapia abroad reached a historic record in 2021. 4,285 tons were shipped, equivalent to US$ 14 million. In 2020, 1,537 t had been exported. The data are contained in the ebook “EVERYTHING about the fish trade balance in 2021”, produced by the Pescado Panel – a statistical dashboard with data from the Integrated Foreign Trade System (Siscomex). For the first time since the beginning of the series evaluated by the platform (1997), tilapia exporters shipped 954 tons in December alone, an unprecedented performance. Tilapia fillets have already become the main export item in the fillet category, with revenues of US$ 7.623 million, equivalent to 1,275 tons. This resulted in a 44% growth in volume. Among the products of the complete basket of fish sent abroad, the United States was the main destination for exports. The Americans bought 24,000 tonnes of Brazilian fish, for which they paid US$217 million – 57% more than they spent in 2020. China, the country's second ...