According to the most recent FAO report, world fish production has reached a new peak: 171 mn tons, of which 90.9 mn is captured and 80 mn farmed. 88% of production, i.e. 151 mn tons, is harvested directly for human consumption. The oceans' resources are far from unlimited, however, and they are much more difficult to manage than agricultural resources. As we approach the time of year in which the consumption of fish and seafood increases, the debate about their sustainability is fiercer than ever.

On the other hand, fish is a healthy food and consumption of fish has never stopped growing. Again according to the FAO, from 9 kg consumption in 1961, we have now reached a peak of 20.2 kg. EU citizens eat on average 4 kg more than the rest of the world, for a total in excess of 24 kg. And Italy? Even more than that: we eat more than 31 kg a year per capita. How will these trends change in the post-pandemic period?

Combining flavour, convenience and sustainability

“After the fad for leavened products, we saw an reverse trend with the increased popularity of healthier, more sustainable products, and increased sales in our segment too," adds Alex Doorgeest, proprietor of Agrofish. "With the winter coming in and forced closures probable, we are predicting more responsible consumption, albeit with more complex, innovative recipes: Italians will not give up their Christmas lunches and dinners, despite the restrictions, and the food market will maintain its positive trend. We are committed to continuing to supply healthy products, with high quality raw materials complete with necessary MSC and ASC certifications.”

“Market surveys show that canned tuna is in the cupboards of over 90% of Italian households," says Managing Director of Airone Seafood, Sergio Tommasini. "And why? There are no barriers to consumption, it can be stored for a long time and it's easy to prepare dishes with. It suits a modern lifestyle and innumerable occasions for consumption, and it isn't seasonal. Canned tuna is a democratic food. However, global warming and demographic changes are significantly affecting our eating customs, and it's a challenge the fish processing industry has to face. Airone is a winning model in this sense, with structural synergies between Italy and Cote d'Ivoire, thanks to our processing plant at Abidjan with its capacity of 25,000 tons of processed tuna a year.”

These fascinating themes will continue to be discussed during the run up to  TUTTOFOOD 2021, at fieramilano from 17 to 20 May, where they will take pride of place in the TUTTOSEAFOOD area.