9.8 million people around the world consume a portion of Chilean pork every day
The industry currently produces 520,000 CWE tons of pork a year, which represents 36% of the total meat production in Chile.
Graph 1. Evolution of main meat production
Source: INE (National Institute of Statistics)
The pork industry has an average annual growth of 7% during the past 30 years.
This figure was reached thanks to the effort made by the sector to deliver high-quality products, promote national consumption, and develop its exporting capacity.
Starting in the year 2000, the growth of the pork sector has been mainly boosted by the increase in exports.
The industry exports 55% of its production, it is authorized to export to 60 countries, and it is estimated that over 9.8 million people around the world consume a portion of Chilean pork every day.
The primary destination market is Asia, which represents 67% of exports, of which18% of total exports are sent to China.
Graph 2. Export destinations for pork, 2015
Source: Chilean Customs
Great efforts have been made to comply with the requirements of the most demanding markets in different areas: Food Safety, Animal Health and Welfare, and Sustainability, among others, delivering products of the highest quality, which has made Chile the sixth largest pork exporter in the world.
The exporting strategy of the pork industry, together with public-private work cooperation have made pork the main meat exported from the country, representing 61% of all exported meats.
Graph 3. Meat Exports 2015
Source: Chilean Customs
Chile – China
During 2011, after five years of hard work, Chile was able to obtain the sanitary clearance for the People’s Republic of China. Starting from that year on, Chile starts increasing their pork deliveries, reaching a record of 82 million Dollars in 2015. Between years 2011-2015, exports have grown at an annual average of 78%.
Graph 1. Evolution of pork exports to China
Source: Chilean Customs
Today, China is in second place among the main export destinations of Chilean pork, representing, during the period between January and June of 2015, 26% of total exports.
Table 1. Primary export destinations, 2016 (January – June)
China is the largest consumer of pork in the world, producing and consuming a little less than half of the pork in the world, only a small part of this consumption corresponds to imported products, but it is enough to make it the second largest pork importer in the world.Source: Chilean Customs and ODEPA
Graph 2. Evolution of pork imports in China
Source: USDA
For Chile, exporting to this destination has translated into commercializing cuts that have a higher value in China than other markets, such as with pork feets, heads, and legs.