Fishing showed an interannual collapse of 74.6% in June And it was the item that had the greatest negative incidence on the monthly Economic Activity Estimator (EMAE) of INDEC. Due to the combination of a collapse in international prices, a union conflict and low internal demand, from the sector they claim that The crisis already cost US $ 200 million and affects 5,000 workers.
Since Javier Milei assumed the presidency, the main negative effects of his economic model were perceived in the manufacturing and construction industry, due to the magnitude of their contributions to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment. However, Since March is fishing the sector that has been suffering from the greatest contractionsfundamentally by the paralysis in the crustacean segment (prawns).
In the publication of the last Industrial Production Index (IPI) Fisheries, INDEC clarified that the results were “affected by an extended union conflict.” In addition, due to its changing seasonal pattern, and the irregularity of this activity, it suggested analyzing the evolution of the trend-cycle in conjunction with the desestationalized series; When observing both series, the lower production values since mid -2016.
Radiography of the crisis in the fishing sector: collapse of prices and union conflict
The conflict between entrepreneurs and workers has its root in a structural crisis in the sector. Sebastián Péreznaval industrial of the services sector, He explained to the scope that “around 113 freezing tangoner ships were tied for four months In different ports of Mar del Plata, Puerto Deseado and Puerto Madryn because the activity was not profitable, due to several reasons. “
First, the specialist highlighted the collapse of international prices As an important variable, taking into account that in 2024 the fishing complex exported more than US $ 2,000 million, being the eighth of greater relevance in this aspect, throughout the country. In particular, a drop of almost 60% in the KG value of the wild prawn (from US $ 12 to US $ 5), one of the main export species, one of the export species,, as a consequence of an overcapation and invasion of other lower quality but cheaper specieslike Vannamei prawn.
“In foreign trade we are an important actor in the region but So far this year they were already lost because they did not go out to work more than US $200 million in exports“Pérez, although he clarified that other species, such as the Illex squid and black hake, are compensating for the drop in foreign sales.
In that framework, Entrepreneurs ask for an adaptation of the collective agreement of work to the new reality of the sector, while The workers claimed that from the employers they wanted to reduce salary more than 20%.
Recently he ended up signing an agreement with a discount on salaries for trip. “Due to the crisis that the business sector argues, which has the entire shrimp tangonera flot Only for this season“The United Maritime Workers Union (Somu) published at the beginning of August.
“In Mar del Plata it is estimated that between suspensions and dismissals there are about 200 workers. The unions speak of more than 600 workers. But Actually the crisis affects 5,000 workers“Pérez said about the consequences of the crisis of an activity that went from having 15,100 salaried jobs registered in February, to be 14,400 in May, according to the latest data of the Argentine pension integrated system (SIPA).
The consumption of fish and shellfish in Argentina is the lowest in the region
To the aforementioned factors, the fact that Internal consumption in Argentina is just 7 kg per year, the lowest in the regionwhich is why it is impotent to compensate for the fall of exports. “If you ask me what can be done to alleviate the crisis, it is to make a strong incentive campaign to the consumption of fish and seafood in the country“Pérez proposed.
In general terms, fishing industrialists point out that production costs are very high, partly because of the country’s increase in dollars, but also for the cost of crew, so they request a labor reform and an urgent removal of retentions. Meanwhile, sources of work and dollars continue to be lost, always so necessary for the Argentine economy.
Source: Ambito
