Underdevelopment is on the mind: In 2023, Chilean salmon exports generated 150% more foreign exchange than shipments

In 1985, the American researcher Lawrence Harrison published the book “Underdevelopment is a State of Mind” to refer to the backwardness present in Latin America. Since then some nations learned their lesson. But others don't. In 2023, Chilean exports of farmed fish (salmon and trout) were 6,461 million dollars, most of which correspond to shipments made to the traditional markets of the United States (2,803 million dollars), Japan ( 932 M/u$s) and Brazil (829 M/u$s), although exports to Russia (342 M/u$s) and China (309 M/u$s) have been growing. Farmed fish were Chile's second export product last year, behind traditional copper (43,395 M/u$s) and one step above lithium (6,249 M/u$s). Salmon, along with fruits, cellulose, wines and meats, was one of the main protagonists that allowed Chilean non-traditional exports (that is, those that do not correspond to the mining sector) to reach a historical record of 2023. 43,663 million dollars. Chile's total exports last year – traditional ...