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The business, according to Jorge Muñoz, director of Coolfish, was made possible due to the company&rsquo s participation in the 50th Businesses Matchmaking Forum by PROCOLOMBIA this past February. " During the appointments made with the buyers, we were able to realize that the possibilities of new clients were very high, not only because of the Free Trade Agreement but because Colombia possesses ideal climate conditions which allows for a facilitated production of fresh tilapia that is not necessarily found in other countries.&rdquo
The Free Trade Agreement which became valid in May 2012 permitted the entry of tilapia, trout, shrimp, and cobia with zero tariffs, which previously would cost up to three percent and has permitted an increase in the exports of the aquaculture and fishing sectors.
According to the information of the Department of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, with data from DANE (National Administrative Department of Statistics), Colombia exported a total of US $64.1 million dollars in these kinds of products between May 2012 and December 2013, which was a 23.4 percent increase from the same period the previous year.
In the same time period, the Department of Huila exported 73.4 percent more which represent total sales of $25.7 million dollars.
" The aquiculture and fishing products respond to the demand for healthy food in the United States. In addition to the fresh ones, the processed fish have an equal opportunity. We have to take into account that clients value sustainable products. Almost half of the main supermarkets include this kind of production which does not have a negative impact on the atmosphere,&rdquo explains Maria Claudia Lacouture, President of PROCOLOMBIA Colombia.
The proper development was precisely what permitted Coolfish to make its first export. " The product should arrive in the best conditions. Selection of place, design of the farm, monitoring programs, water control, drugs, sanitary criteria, harvest, inspection of the final product, and proper training programs for workers are all methods that we employ in our system of production,&rdquo emphasized Muñoz.
The next goal for Coolfish, after its first experience in foreign trade, is to export to countries in Latin America and Europe, where PROCOLOMBIA was able to identify business opportunities for its products.
With this purpose, the company started a project to reduce the impact on the atmosphere and produce a fillet in eco-friendly conditions. " Only five percent of the additional water is needed to restore what is lost due to evaporation the fish residue is useful to produce vegetables,&rdquo added Muñoz. " We hope to have this project ready by the end of this year to be able to attend to a market that not only demands a fresh fillet, but does not want any harm to be made to the environment.&rdquo
