Chilean plant targets mackerels -- for human consumption

摘要

Chilean fishing company Pesquera Itata, which last year built a 200-tonne-an-hour pelagic fish freezing plant and big cold store in Talcahuano, is so pleased with its investment that it is considering expanding production next year to 300-tonnes an hour, writes Tom Wray. Itata's plant is the biggest and most highly automated of its type in Chile, being able to unload, grade, weigh, pack and freeze Chilean jack mackerel (horse mackerel) and mackerel for Africa and other markets such as Peru and Brazil. "It is a fantastic plant," Enrique Cisterna, Itata's operations manager, tells FNI. "It runs at high speed, is very efficient, easy to run, has low labour and maintenance costs and - with good fish, we are able to produce excellent products." Itata has invested around 7.5 million dollar in its new freezing plant and cold store, which will be paid back in less than three years, according to Enrique Cisterna.