Policy – July 15, 2026
Chile: salmon industry targets doubling domestic wheat purchases
Chile's salmon industry has launched a plan to increase the use of domestically produced agricultural ingredients in salmon feed, with the aim of doubling purchases of Chilean wheat.
The Chilean Salmon Council unveiled its AgroSalmón 2026–2027 roadmap during an industry event held with Revista del Campo of El Mercurio, outlining measures to strengthen links between the country's agriculture and aquaculture sectors.
The initiative is based on a study by economist Rodrigo Krell, which concluded that increasing the share of locally sourced ingredients in salmon feed could raise demand for Chilean wheat to as much as 230,000 tonnes, creating new market opportunities for farmers in central and southern Chile.
According to the Salmon Council, around 60% of the ingredients used in salmon feed are plant-based, primarily wheat, soy and rapeseed. A significant proportion of those raw materials is currently imported.
The roadmap proposes technical cooperation between farmers, feed manufacturers and salmon producers to progressively increase the use of Chilean-grown feed ingredients, while supporting innovation and expanding opportunities for agricultural suppliers.
"The agriculture and salmon farming sectors are already connected," said Salmon Council chief executive Loreto Seguel. "Today we have the evidence, a roadmap and a working agenda to transform that relationship into greater development, innovation and opportunities for the regions."
Chile's Agriculture Minister Jaime Campos and National Agriculture Society (SNA) president Antonio Walker also attended the event, both backing closer cooperation between the agriculture and salmon farming industries.
The Salmon Council said AgroSalmón is intended as a long-term strategy to strengthen domestic feed production and increase value creation through greater collaboration between agriculture, aquaculture, feed manufacturers and research institutions.
