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China outranks Colombia, Brazil and Peru as the largest Amazonian fish producer

Fundación Andrés Bello

Photo: Natural red de pesca. By:  PXHere. Source: Wiki commons.

According to official data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the largest source of “red pacu,” a typical fish of the Amazon region, also known as red cachama, does not come from Colombia, Brazil or Peru, but from the People’s Republic of China. In 2020, 59,400 tons of this species were produced in the Asian country, while Colombia produced 33,000 tons, Vietnam: 23,000, Peru: 2,100, and Brazil: 1,800. This is due to the fact that China, together with other Southeast Asian countries, has not only focused on fish production for human consumption, but has also become a leader in breeding Amazonian ornamental fish. 

How did these fish, native to the Amazon and its surroundings, end up on the other side of the world? Although there are few official records, before the historic climate conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, Chinese Premier Li Peng met with Gilberto Mestrinho, then governor of the state of Amazonas. During the meeting in Manaus, the Chinese emissary reportedly received some live pairs of tambaquis, marking the inception of interest in Amazonian aquatic species. 

Top Headlines:

Biernath, André. (2023). In Portafolio. Superó a Colombia y Brasil: China, mayor productor de peces amazónicos. 

Biernath, André. (2023). BBC News Brasil. Cómo China superó a Colombia, Perú y Brasil y se convirtió en el mayor productor de peces amazónicos.  

Find out more:

Gestión (2023). China desplazó a Perú y ahora lidera la producción de peces amazónicos.