Chilean pork exporters celebrates 10 years in Asia and the successful promotion of pork in China

ChilePork exporters have recently celebrated three milestones in the People’s Republic of China: ten years of ChilePork in Asia, the tenth anniversary of the FTA between China and Chile, and five years of successful promotion of Chilean pork in China, which is now ChilePork’s biggest market with sales worth over US$129 million in 2016.

The ChilePork delegation – consisting of the export companies Agrosuper, Maxagro, Coexca, and AASA – met with their business partners, the Chinese importers, at a seminar inaugurated by the Chilean ambassador to China, Jorge Heine, and the president of ChilePork, Juan Carlos Domínguez.

The president of ChilePork told the seminar: “We arrived five years ago, after the FTA was signed, which is when we obtained sanitary approval. In 2011 we shipped the first container of pigs’ feet. That was how our joint history began. Year by year we have built on this solid commercial link with a food product that is certified by the highest sanitary authority in Chile, the Livestock and Agriculture Service or SAG, which is internationally recognized for its seriousness and professionalism.”

“We have earned your trust and loyalty by offering a product of guaranteed quality and food safety. This has enabled us to grow at an annual rate of 70%, with a record level of US$129 million  of shipments to China in 2016,” he noted.

International speaker Brett Stuart, founding member of Global AgriTrends and consultant for various organizations, talked about the economic situation and its impact on the sector, mentioning variables such as the growth of demand in China and the impact of the new government in the USA.

The meeting closed with a symbolic ceremony of lighting up a figure representing the close relationship built up between ChilePork and its business partners in Asia, especially in China.

The ChilePork delegation at this event consisted of ChilePork Marketing Director Soledad Valenzuela, Coexca General Manager Guillermo García, Agrosuper Export Manager John Lüer, Maxagro Commercial Manager Jorge Rozas and AASA Sales and Marketing Manager Alejandro Muñoz, as well as other representatives.

The Chilean pork industry ships 60% of its production to a range of export markets. Asia accounts for 78% of its shipments, with annual growth of 5% over the last decade: China (29%), Japan (27%) and South Korea (22%). During 2016, the volume exported rose by 2% to a record figure of 293,000 tons cwe.