MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Magallanes region exports total 148 million dollars in first quarter

Methanol and fisheries remain Magallanes main export items

Exports from Magallanes region in the extreme south of Chile totalled 148 million dollars during the first quarter of the year which is 10.5% higher than a year ago (134 million dollars), according to Chile’s national Statistics Office.

Mining was the sector with the best growth performance in the period followed by forestry and agriculture, 18.8% and industry, 5.7%.

Even if in dollar-value the total was up, in tons total exports were down 25.5% compared to the same period a year ago, mainly explained by lower shipments from industry. Furthermore even when Mining outperformed in growth percentage, it is insignificant in the overall volume. Forestry and Agriculture were down 41.1%.

Industry remained the main export sector with 135 million tons equivalent to 91.2% of total shipments and a 7.3 million value expansion over a year ago. Mining’s contribution was 5.5 million dollars equivalent to 3.7% of the total while forestry and agriculture represented 4.5 million dollars or 3%.

Behind methanol which is the Magallanes region main export with 64.5 million dollars, come cod, trout, wool, lamb and mineral gold. Other significant items include king crab, hake, fish meal and oil.

As to volumes, industry figures with 211.049 tons, this is 73.893 tons less than a year ago; minerals, 1.320 tons and forestry and agriculture, 475 tons.

Magallanes exports main markets are Brazil, Canada, US, China and Japan.