“The challenge is to combine long-term vision, innovation and consistency between discourse and action,” said the company’s general manager, Gerardo Balbontín, during his participation in AquaForum Los Lagos 2025.

With a notable turnout of representatives from both the public and private sectors, the twelfth edition of AquaForum Los Lagos 2025 was held, an event that brought together the main players in the national aquaculture industry under the theme “Challenges to reactivate salmon farming: Growth and Competitiveness”. The event, held at the Hotel Enjoy in Puerto Varas, was attended by regional authorities, including Governor Alejandro Santana, local mayors and representatives of public services linked to the sector.

As part of this important sectoral meeting, Blumar’s general manager, Gerardo Balbontín, participated in the panel “Markets: global trends and strategies in a changing global environment”, alongside economist Óscar Landerretche, ProChile’s national director, Lorena Sepúlveda, and Multi X’s general manager, Cristián Swett.
During his remarks, Balbontín addressed the main challenges facing Chile’s salmon industry, highlighting the need to strengthen the sector’s competitiveness in light of the new tariff scenario in the United States, a market that represents approximately 40% of national exports.

“The impact of the 10% tariff imposed on Chilean salmon, combined with over-regulation and obstacles to relocation, act as barriers that affect our competitive position. It is essential to move forward with regulatory reforms that strengthen the national industry,” he stated.

Balbontín emphasized Blumar’s market diversification strategy, highlighting its presence in Asia through offices in Shanghai and the strengthening of its position in Latin America. “Our company has committed to active commercial management, taking advantage of free trade agreements and developing value-added products that allow us to reach multiple destinations,” he explained.

Regarding sustainability, Blumar’s general manager highlighted Chile’s comparative advantages in terms of carbon footprint and health standards. “We have international certifications such as ASC and BAP 4 Stars that support our responsible production. In particular, our operation in Magallanes represents a unique competitive advantage, with production free of antibiotics and antiparasitics thanks to the natural conditions of the area”.
“The challenge is to combine long-term vision, innovation and consistency between discourse and action. We are committed to sustainable production that honors the ocean and meets the demands of an increasingly conscious consumer,” Balbontín said. In that regard, he valued the initiative of Puerto Montt’s mayor, Rodrigo Wainraihgt, “to create the Salmon 2050 Plan, which will serve as a fundamental pillar for the initiatives that the future government must implement to restore the industry’s competitiveness”.