Recognition of Sernapesca as the competent authority for its certification was supported by ProChile. This means that Chile is already on the list of approved countries for national companies to export salmonids, which include Atlantic salmon and coho salmon.
After a long audit process carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) from the Australian government, our country was notified of its official recognition for the export of processed salmonids in the country to that market and to National Service of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Sernapesca) as the Competent Authority authorized for its certification.
This implies the inclusion of Chile in the list of countries that meet the biosecurity standards for the importation of salmonids to Australia (BICON), thereby authorizing the export of Atlantic salmon and Silver or Coho salmon for direct human consumption.
Similarly, this recognition also allows Chile to import salmonids from any other country approved by Australia for processing and subsequent export to the oceanic country, where Sernapesca must ensure that the health certificate from the country of origin is obtained to confirm that the salmonids meet the requirements.
Similarly, Chile is authorized to export salmon to countries with processing approved by Australia for export after that country. In this case, Chilean companies must ensure that the original health certificate (or a certified copy) agreed with Australia accompanies each shipment.
“It was a long audit process carried out on the inspection, control and certification systems that Sernapesca maintains throughout the salmonid value chain, and this is a great recognition coming from one of the world’s most demanding biosafety markets, opening a new market where Sernapesca will be able to certify and facilitate the export process,” commented the National director of Sernapesca, Soledad Tapia Almonacid.
By the same token, the Director General of ProChile, Ignacio Fernández, said, “This is undoubtedly very good news. Chile’s salmon industry is one of the food sector’s leading exporters. Shipments exceeded US$6,000 million in 2023 and have reached US$4,100 million so far this year. Opening the Australian market diversifies the markets for salmon and recognises the quality of our food,” said the director-general of ProChile, Ignacio Fernández.
The audit process included a documentary review of the procedures and records in crop, process plant and refrigerator centres, as well as field visits where they were able to verify in situ the various inspection, control and certification tools maintained by Sernapesca.
Now, the stage will come to inform companies and unions about the technical aspects of this opening up and the incorporation of this product into commercial promotion actions in the market. ProChile and Sernapesca are organizing an online seminar for the coming weeks in order to transmit this information to interested companies.
Chile currently exports frozen and fresh salmon to 76 countries, being the main markets of destination the United States, Brazil, Russia, China and the European Union.
