MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile's farm exports up 24% in nine months.

Chile's agricultural and forestry exports totalled $5.67 billion US dollars during the first nine months of this year, a 24% over the same period in 2003, reported the Agriculture Studies and Policies Office, Odepa.

Forestry exports reached $2.25 billion which represent a 37% increase. Agricultural exports rose 13% to just over $2.98 billion, while livestock sales rose 50% to $435 million.

Carlos Furche director of Odepa said the exports expansion trend seems sustainable in the coming few years bolstered by the several free-trade agreements signed by Chile as well as the country's excellent sanitary conditions.

Chile's largest farm export markets are United States (30%), Japan (8%), Mexico (7%), Netherlands (6%), Britain and China (5%), Italy (4%) and South Korea, Germany and Spain (3% each).

Regarding processed food products, Chilean exports expanded 26% in the first nine months of 2004 totalling 757 million US dollars compared to 600 million in the same period 2003.

According to Alberto Montanari, president of Chilealimentos the excellent performance so far this year "indicates we'll be reaching a billion US dollars by the end of 2004".

Frozen vegetables and fruit in nine months expanded 44% reaching 120 million US dollars and 79,570 tons (+24%); dehydrated produce increased 30% to 185 million US dollars and a volume of 91,043 tons (+3%); preserved and canned produce totalled 158 million US dollars (+29%) involving 181,173 tons (+10%).