Chile: A Rising Market for U.S. Pork
In the past decade, Chile has become a growing destination for not only pork, but many U.S. goods.
Chile was the 11th largest U.S. pork market in 2021 with exports totaling 70 million pounds, up 78% since 2016.
Source: USDA-FAS
U.S. Pork Exports to Chile
Top imported U.S. pork and pork variety meats to the country include hams, picnics, trimmings, St. Louis-style spareribs, center-cut loins, bone-in loins and brisket bones.
The United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement has helped open and develop markets between the two countries since its adoption in 2004. After the elimination of all tariffs in 2015, exports to Chile have grown considerably.
Chilean Protein Consumption
Since 2000, per capita consumption has grown for all animal proteins, but poultry has grown more rapidly than pork or beef.
According to USDA-FAS, Chile produced 1.17 billion pounds of pork (carcass weight) in 2019 and 1.27 billion pounds in 2020, up 8.3%. USDA-FAS forecasts 2021 production up 1.0% to 1.28 billion pounds. Exports accounted for 56% of production in 2020, up from 39% in 2018 before the surge to China.
Chile’s pork and variety meat exports have set new annual records since 2018, and in 2020, exports reached 4 million pounds, up 32% from the prior record set in 2019.
Source: OECD
Chile was the 11th largest U.S. pork market in 2021 with total exports valued at $111.4 million, a 107% increase from 2016.
Source: USDA-FAS
Pork Merchandising Opportunities
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has worked to establish a more significant presence in South American markets since 2011 and has identified Chile as a target for export growth.
USMEF representatives continue to build and maintain the confidence of buyers by reinforcing the reputation of U.S. pork as a consistent, safe and high-quality protein source.
Additional opportunities in the market include introducing new pork products and leveraging emerging trends, such as the development of various e-commerce platforms.
