- The study, carried out by CREDA and IRTA in collaboration with the Catalan Waste Agency, has been presented within the framework of the Catalonia Hub of the Generalitat of Catalonia at the Seafood Expo Global
- According to the analysis, the greatest concentration of losses occurs in the agents dedicated to wholesale trade at destination, highlighting large surfaces and central markets
The Center for Agro-Food Economics and Development (CREDA) has published the ‘Diagnosi de les pèrdues i el malbaratament alimentari al sector de la pesca del seitó: quantificació i impacte econòmic’ which has been carried out together with the Institute of AgriFood Research and Technology (IRTA) and in collaboration with the Waste Agency of Catalonia (ARC). The study has been presented by Saray Ramírez, biologist and research technician at CREDA, within the framework of the Catalonia Hub that the Generalitat de Catalunya has arranged at the Seafood Expo Global.
The diagnosis, which was commissioned by the Departament d’Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural (DACC) last year, presents the food losses and waste of anchovies in Catalonia during the 2021 campaign, covering all phases of the value chain, from primary production to retail.
According to the study, a total of 207 tons of anchovies were wasted throughout the value chain in 2021, representing a higher level in large stores direct to consumer sales.
Even so, the figure of retailers is pleasantly highlighted, since, according to the analysis, no loss or waste of the anchovy has been recorded thanks to aspects such as: the daily control of volumes, the experience in the handling of the product and the large number of revaluation routes of the bucket.
With regard to the economic impact, the losses have been calculated according to the sale price and according to the price for the consumers. Thus, the diagnosis shows economic losses at sale price of 763.148,13 €, where the most affected agent are the large areas of direct sales to the consumer, with losses of 417.092 €. As with product waste, retailers have not recorded any economic loss.
Faced with this situation, the study presents a series of prevention actions with the aim of reducing food waste in the sector in the coming years. Some of the proposed actions are: the development of valorization lines, improvements in the cold chain, the reduction of intermediaries, the preparation of anchovy for sale to retailers, the increase of staff training, investment in infrastructures or the training of consumers.
FISHING IN CATALONIA
Fishing is one of the main economic activities in Catalonia, representing 9,8% of all companies in Spain. In addition, anchovies have been the most fished species in 2021 in the Catalan territory, amounting to a volume of 5.559,54 tons and an economic capture of 9.635.091,08 €, which has come to place the area above countries such as France and Portugal.
The study has not taken into account the anchovy intended for canned products, since the Catalan anchovy does not have enough caliber to be handled for preserves, therefore, it has focused on the analysis of fresh anchovy.