The Latvian Fish Producers Union, which brings together all the largest companies in the fish processing industry, is calling on ministries and the responsible state institutions to support the trout farming project planned by “Riga Bay Aquaculture” in the Gulf of Riga, as it is of strategic importance for Latvia's food production and for boosting exports.

In a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development and the Ministry of Climate and Energy, the Latvian Fish Producers Union stresses that the establishment of trout farms would significantly reduce dependence on imports and would also improve the security and stability of supply. Local farming would reduce dependence on external suppliers, logistics fluctuations and price “peaks”, ensuring a more predictable availability of raw material for processing.

Having raw material available closer to hand and shorter supply chains reduce costs, allow more flexible production planning and make it possible to develop higher value-added products, leaving a greater economic contribution in Latvia.

Jānis Endele, President of the Latvian Fish Producers Union, stresses that “Latvian fish processing has historically been one of the few traditional industries in our country with a stable export capacity and the ability to adapt to market shocks. After the crisis endured in 2014, when the industry lost significant sales markets in a short space of time (around 60% of total volume), companies restructured their sales and developed new markets. The sales structure has now changed, and the main destinations are Germany, the USA, the United Kingdom and others. Along with the successful restructuring and the opening up of new markets, fish processing capacity in Latvia has grown rapidly in the salmon and trout product segment: new lines and product ranges have been developed, including in canning. The industry has ambitious development plans for the next five years – we are planning turnover growth to 300 million euros, and the trout farming project will have a significant impact on achieving that result.”

Demand for trout products is growing worldwide, but holding market positions and developing further requires regular volumes and consistent quality. Local trout farming would give Latvian fish processors the opportunity to grow more strongly and to strengthen Latvia's position in export markets.

Another important aspect is the strengthening of regional employment and the coastal economy. Trout farming and the processing that follows it create jobs, orders for logistics, production innovation, services and infrastructure, increasing added value in the regions.

The European Union, too, has defined the development of the blue economy, or bioeconomy, as one of its strategic sustainability goals, stressing that aquaculture will play an ever greater role in a sustainable food system in Europe. The EU has indicated that projects strengthening the competitiveness of aquaculture production, which bolster the economy of coastal regions, are particularly deserving of support.

Trout farming in the Gulf of Riga would also be a serious step in developing national industrial policy and innovative, export-capable products, as it would provide fish processing companies and production plants with a stable local raw material supply, encouraging investment in the export capacity of high value-added products.

Ensuring a stable supply of raw material is also expected to bring further investment in the development of Latvian fish processing factories and production plants. Trout farming in the Gulf of Riga is therefore also supported by “Syfud”, the newly established salmon and trout filleting and processing company in Liepāja, in which more than 80 million euros have already been invested. Investments of this kind demonstrate the industry's readiness to develop high-quality product manufacturing in Latvia over the long term, and at the same time show how critically important a stable, locally available raw material base is.

The Latvian Fish Producers Union therefore calls for greater inter-institutional coordination so that the trout farm project in the Gulf of Riga can be implemented through a predictable, transparent and investment-friendly process.