44 



U. S. BUKEAU OF FISHERIES. 



Fishery products exported from Chile, 1919 and 1920 — Continued. 

 FRESH, DRIED, OR SALT FISH. 



Fish products, such as canned salmon, canned sardines, canned 

 lobster, and dried codfish form an important item in the import trade 

 of Chile. There is a decided preference for sardines from Europe and 

 especially from Spain. The preference on the local market is for 

 the small sizes, such as 180 to 190 grams gross per tin, and smaller if 

 possible, because sardines are principally sold to the very poor people. 

 The wholesale price of sardines is 50 Chilean gold pesos, or about 

 $14.50 United States currency, per case of 100 tins of 180 grams 

 each, f . o. b. Talcahuano, with 8 per cent discount. A few tins weigh- 

 ing 470 grams are also sold, but they are too expensive. The foreign 

 brands which are most popular have the preference because they 

 are so well known that the quality and weight is considered guaran- 

 teed. American sardines are imported into Chile in lar^e quantities 

 and seem to find a sale on account of their very low price. 



To increase the imports of fishery products from the United States 

 it seems advisable to give attention to good quality and to good 

 presentation. Sardines should be well packed, so as to avoid objec- 

 tions now made to them. As the cottonseed oil is reported to congeal 

 and bulge the tins this should be remedied. Nothing seems necessary 

 in the case of salmon, although during the early part of 1920 there 

 was much discussion of competition from Japan and Norway. 



The detailed figures for 1919 and 1920 given below show the kinds, 

 quantities, values, ports through which imported, and countries of 

 origin of each fish product. The importations for this district are 

 shown by the figures for its ports, Talcahuano, Coronel, and Valdivia. 

 The Chilean gold pesos in which official statistics and customs duties 

 are given in Chile have been converted at the rate of 36^ cents, 



