Processing Of Marine Products: Sustainability, Competitiveness And Financial Viability Of The Canned Food Industry In Spain

Abstract

For many decades Spain has been an important fish producer, the fact of which has created an important fish product processing sector. The main sub-sector is the canned food industry; in fact, Spain is the main canned fish and seafood producer in the EU. This paper studies the economic and financial structure of the canned food industry in Galicia, a region where the majority of the sector is located. The study is presented from the point of view of a prospective increase in demand and the risks associated with greater international competition, which obliges companies in the sector to apply more competitive strategies in order to guarantee the activitys future, both from the perspectives of access to consumers as well as business organisation and scale. The result will impact on the regional economy and on the way in which fishing resources are dealt with.