MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US beef and chicken for satisfied Chilean consumers

The first shipment of United States beef began to be sold last Friday by a chain of Santiago de Chile supermarkets, further diversifying the country origin of market suppliers.

Although it was a modest beginning, one thousand kilos, the ceremony included US ambassador in Santiago Paul Simons and two representatives from the US Agriculture Department, Richard Raymond and Cindy Smith. US also began supplying the Chilean market with chicken and turkey last April. So far this year twelve full containers of frozen broilers and turkey have arrived in Chile and apparently with a good demand from Santiago consumers. Chile and the United States have a free trade agreement which has virtually eliminated tariffs on most items of bilateral commercial exchange. Chile which is a net importer of beef now has as its main supplier, Paraguay, which has replaced traditional providers such as Argentina and Brazil. Argentina has seen exports seriously curtailed as a direct consequence of the farmers/government conflict which limits overseas sales to privilege domestic demand at "reasonable prices". Brazil has suffered several setbacks with outbreaks of foot and mouth disease which have limited exports. Uruguay which is the other option has become too expensive for Chile. Uruguayan quality beef, and with the most serious sanitary record in Mercosur, has great demand from the European Union, Russian Federation and Nafta country members, US, Canada and Mexico. Uruguay has occasionally imported bovine sweetbreads, which are considered a delicatessen by the Uruguayan cuisine, from United States.