MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile plans to double animal production

With clear signs of farmers' optimism and promises of even more government assistance, the 51st Agriculture and Livestock Show organized by Magallanes Region cattle breeders was officially inaugurated last weekend by the Chilean Agriculture Secretary Jaime Campos.

Mr. Campos pointed out that the Magallanes show was the oldest and most extreme south of the country, "a solid example of the potential of the area which belongs to one of the most dynamic sectors of the Chilean economy".

"Agriculture, forestry, agro-business represent 15% of Chile's GDP employing 780,000 people and in the last three years has grown 15%, double the rest of the country's other sectors. And we're talking not only of wines, fruit, salmon and wood, but also of dairy and meat products".

Mr. Campos said that once the free market agreement with United States becomes effective Chile will have access to that market with zero tariff, "as currently happens with Japan, Mexico and the European Union".

Further on Mr. Campos underlined that in 2001 Chile exported 60 tons of meat; in 2002, 7,000 and in 2003, the target is 20,000.

However Mr. Campos said that one of the main limiting factors is the lack of sufficient cattle, both for beef and lamb production.

"We just manage to comply with the European Union lamb demand, but by 2010 we must double the volume of lamb and mutton exports", insisted Mr. Campos, who also emphasized that agriculture is the sector which most funds receives from the central government, equivalent to 200 million US dollars annually.

"We've worked for years with the private sector to help develop conditions that will facilitate the doubling of the current flock and rodeo in the next few years, taking advantage of the opportunities as they unfold with the new trade agreements".

However Pablo Sanupar president of the Magallanes Livestock Association said that the main obstacles for the doubling of production are the poor climate and soil, "particularly the land that has been exposed to constant exploitation, and the proliferation of the natural fauna, that we believe is responsibility of the government".

Another challenge is cattle rustling that now has "epidemic proportions and has become a complex and even political problem", insisted Mr. Sanupar.

This year's edition of the Magallanes show convened 265 sheep and a few cattle mainly Hereford and a few Aberdeen that is actually been introduced into the area.

As has happened for the last eight years most of the sheep competition prizes were won by the Tehuel Aike Sur farm.