During his presentation, Francisco Lobos reviewed the foundations of the industry, highlighting its impact on the national and regional economy over the past four decades.
As part of the opening ceremony of the 2025 Academic Year for the Commercial Engineering program at Universidad San Sebastián (USS), Patagonia campus, Francisco Lobos, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Manager at Multi X, was invited to speak on the relevance of salmon farming in Chile and the challenges that, as a society, must be addressed to project this industry into the future.
During his presentation, Francisco Lobos reviewed the foundations of the industry, highlighting its impact on the national and regional economy over the past four decades, its role in generating more than 80,000 direct and indirect jobs, and its contribution to the development of over 4,000 SMEs in southern Chile.
“In a planet where two-thirds of the surface is water, we must seek sustainable and efficient alternatives to feed a growing population that demands more and better protein. In this context, salmon is the best protein in terms of efficiency, sustainability, and nutritional value,” he stated.
He also underscored the comparative advantages of southern Chile compared to other producing countries such as Norway or Canada, noting that its natural conditions of cold waters and a unique geography—allowing farming sites to be protected from adverse weather conditions—make it a strategic hub for aquaculture development.
Lobos further noted that salmon farming in Chile began more than 40 years ago and, since its inception, has had a positive impact on the economic and social development of the southern regions, where income-based poverty reduction rates are higher than in other parts of the country. However, he emphasized that “today we face new challenges that limit the growth of this important activity. It is the responsibility of all who live in this region to take part in the discussion about the kind of region we want to build, and in this context, we are confident that salmon farming plays a crucial role, ensuring opportunities for everyone, even in remote areas,” he concluded.
