The value of Cape Verdean exports of canned and frozen fish fell almost 9% from January to November, to almost 31 million euros, compared to the same period in 2021, according to official data.
According to a statistical report from the Bank of Cape Verde (BCV), which details exports, this volume of sales of canned and frozen fish – which represents more than 80% of the archipelago’s exports – amounted in 11 months of 2022 to 3,385 million escudos (30.7 million euros).
In the same 11 months of 2021, this volume of exports exceeded 3,707 million escudos (33.7 million euros), which translates into a year-on-year drop in 2022 of practically 9%, taking into account the performance of the canned and frozen fish sector in the country in the same previous period.
The value of Cape Verde’s exports of canned and frozen fish grew 1.6% in the full year 2021, year-on-year, to more than 4,197 million escudos (38 million euros), according to official data reported earlier.
In the 12 months of 2020, these sales were PTE 4,133 million (37.5 million euros).
However, this performance still falls short of pre-pandemic exports of canned and frozen fish, which were PTE 5,734 million (€52 million) in 2018 and PTE 4,856 million (€44 million) in 2019.
Overall, exports of Cape Verdean goods (not including tourism receipts) increased in 2021 by about 1.5% year-on-year to PTE 5,177 million (€47 million). Of total exports, less than 10% are manufactured in the archipelago, such as footwear and clothing.
According to previous data from the National Institute of Statistics of Cape Verde, Spain is the country that buys most Cape Verdean products, with a share of over 60%, maintaining a strong activity in the canning industry, on the islands of São Vicente and São Nicolau.