The new Technological Program (PTEC) awarded by Corfo in the Los Lagos Region to advance towards sustainability and national aquaculture diversification was launched in Puerto Montt. This is the initiative “Innovation for the regenerative culture of Macrocystis Pyrifera”, better known as huiro floater, which will be implemented by Agricultura Oceánica Regenerativa SpA.

“The implementation of these technological programs will not only contribute to forging more globally competitive sectors, but will also promote harmony with the welfare of civil society and local development. The selected projects are expected to generate positive impacts in their respective areas and be catalysts for a prosperous and resilient future in the aquaculture industry and in the face of climate change in Chile,” said the director of Corfo Los Lagos, Gabriel Pérez.

One of the main objectives of PTEC is to set up and implement, over a period of six years, a collaborative program that will allow the installation of implementation and scaling-up capacities for seaweed cultivation. This process will involve the entire value chain and will generate the conditions to promote a sustainable and sustainable business model, both for cultivation and for final products of national and international interest.

“We are very pleased to lead the development and installation of the entire Macrocystis pyrifera production chain in Chile. As a company we had already been building the entire production and commercialization process of the species. With Corfo we will be able to accelerate this process by gathering all the experiences and technologies developed both nationally and internationally; all this with the collaboration of different actors of the national and international ecosystem. We hope that this program will lead to the installation of a cutting-edge production and economic model around this product, allowing technology and technical transfer to the ecosystem and competitively position the development of crops and their commercialization in the market,” said Maria Jose de la Fuente, director of the IPMAPY Program, co-founder and director of operations at Huiro Regenerativo.

This program also seeks to develop a standard of regenerative and triple impact cultivation to implement a green seal that is recognized nationally and internationally, in order to give added value to algae and lay the groundwork for the development of the market for blue carbon credits.

The portfolio also considers developing and implementing a scaling and technology transfer model to generate sustainable and sustainable business models, processing and transformation of regenerative crops aimed at the development of the market for carbon credits and involving the entire value chain including small and medium aquaculture farmers.

In general, aquaculture PTECs seek to forge a more competitive sector at the global level, ensuring that local productive development is in harmony with the welfare of the community. At the same time, the projects must be inserted in the value chain and generate synergies with other sectors and/or economic subsectors of the territory.

This initiative joins three other PTECs being executed in the region, co-financed by Corfo, to diversify the aquaculture matrix and improve its productivity: Consorcio SPA, Ecosea Farming SPA and INVA.

Presence in Aquasur

It should be noted that Corfo’s “Technological Programs for the Diversification of the Chilean Aquaculture Industry” seek to accelerate and consolidate the development, adaptation and productive and commercial scaling of species for the diversification of the Chilean aquaculture industry, precisely, aspects that will be addressed in the next version of Aquasur, the most important fair of the industry to be held from March 19 to 21, 2024 in Puerto Montt.

This event, likewise, is aimed at revalidating Chile’s important role in the global industry through the presence of fish farmers, suppliers, unions, foundations and workers in the sector from different regions, as well as relevant authorities, gathered for the task of promoting and enhancing aquaculture development in the country, and to link it with the productive technological development and commercial scaling of different species, safeguarding the sustainability of the resources.