Report Highlights:

The Chilean poultry production which has expanded significantly during the last decade and has become the most important source animal protein in the country has gained access to the US market as of last December, 2007. The poultry industry has expanded at a surprisingly rate during the last two decades.

Poultry meat availability for domestic consumption has grown over 200 percent during this two decades, reaching a per capita consumption of almost 34 Kg by 2006. Poultry meat has become the most important source of animal protein in Chile. Exports, which in 1991 reached only US$13.6 million, exceeded US$150 million in 2006. Presently, Chile exports poultry products to 26 different countries. The industry during the last few years has invested significantly in the poultry industry, modernizing production systems, introducing state of the art technologies and providing direct and indirect employment to over 20,000 workers.

In 2007 two new markets have been opened for the Chilean poultry industry, the Russian and the U.S. markets. Chile can export poultry products to the United States starting 3 December 2007 and has presently a yearly duty free quota of 8,400 metric tons. It is expected that in 2013 the United States will become the most important export market for Chilean poultry products, as was indicated by industry sources.

Exports to the US which will start most likely beginning of 2008 is expected to reach 12,000 MT in 2010, mainly of raw chicken breasts, according to the industry estimates. These are based on its actual and future production capacity and its decision of maintaining an increasing presence in the export market.

The smaller production and export shown in our table for 2007, is a consequence of a fire which destroyed the processing plant located in San Vicente, Region VI. The plant stayed out of production from November 26, 2006 through September 2007.

Imports of poultry meat started in 2003. All imports are from Argentina and these have been expanding significantly every year since then.

Domestic consumption of poultry meat grew another 11 percent in 2006 and became the most important source of animal protein in Chile, mainly as a result of the higher prices of beef during the same period of time, which resulted by a significant fall of beef imports. Per capita consumption of poultry meat in 2006 was 33.9 kilos, followed by pork with 22.5 kilos and beef with 22.0 kilos.

List of Articles in this series

To view our complete list of 2007/2008 Poultry and Products Annual reports, please click here

January 2008