THE CARIBBEAN AREA — EL SALVADOR 



At the time of the survey, cold-storage charges were 30.00 colones per month for 2.5 

 cubic meters, but it was noted that special concessions would be made if the demand were 

 greater for fish storage. Ihe plants in San Salvador have, between them, two refrigerated 

 rooms, one 9 x 18 x 7.5 feet and the other 9 x 9 x 7.5 feet. Temperatures of 7 to 10 

 degrees C. are regularly held in these rooms (^5* to 50* F.). These two installations are 

 controlled by one company and they are reported to have good sanitary facilities. Small 

 quantities of fresh fish, packed in boxes with ice, are shipped by rail from La Union and 

 Usulatan to various points. The railroad charges 1.10 colones for 100 pounds from La Union 

 to San Salvador and 0.77 colones from Usulatan to San Salvador. A charge of 0.26 colones 

 per 100 pounds is made for the return trip of the box which is filled with ice. 



Fish is also shipped by truck from La Libertad and fr<an ^catecoluca to San Salvador 

 at charges of from 0.30 to 0.^0 colones per 100 pounds. The cliarge for transportation of 

 dried fish from Usulatan to San Salvador by rail was quoted as 0.33 colones per 100 pounds. 



El Salvador has excellent communications both by highway and rail, and the shipment 

 of fresh fish could be increased greatly. If the commerce in fresh fish were larger, 

 shipping charges could, doubtless, be reduced. Practically all centers of population can 

 be reached by rail or highway, and it is reported that 16 cities with a total population of 

 more than 300,000 can be reached by these means. Even though approximately two-thirds of 

 the populatiOTi is rural (19^0 - 1,119,091) and only one-third urban (o68,839), communications 

 are so good and distances so short that fresh fish could be made available to almost all 

 sections of the country. 



Fish is usually sold in the public markets along with meat, vegetables, and other 

 produce. Tne fish is vended from ice chests but there are no special facilities for selling 

 the fish. 



Locally-mined salt can be produced for 1.50 to 2.00 colones per 100 pounds, and it is 

 reported that this is of excellent quality. 



Prices 



An interesting conparison between fish prices in 1939 and in 19^0 was supplies by the 

 Salvadorian Development Commission. 



Average prices of fresh fish (In colones) 



Department 1939 19A0 



Santa Ana 0.29 0.32 



Ahuachapan .44^ .45 



Sonsonate .23 .21 



La Ubertad .44. .64 



San Salvador .41 .39 



Chalatenango .21 .25 



Cuscutlan .21 .25 



La Paz .23 .29 



San Vicente .21 .24 



Cabanas .19 .22 



San U-guel .20 .14 



Usulatan .21 .23 



Morazan .30 .26 



la Union .39 .24 



155 



