Chile, a reliable seafood supplier

• Chilean fishery and aquaculture have grown exponentially over the last 30 years as a result of strong production and international positioning. The Humboldt Current along the Chilean coast provides a wide variety of marine resources for both the fishing industry and for small-scale activity concentrated in over 90,000 fishermen.
• Its long coastline is composed of three types of fishing. The species include the northern anchovy, mackerel, horse mackerel and sardines. The species in the south -central area include hake, shrimp, squid and recently also the giant squid. In the south the main species are Chilean hake, toothfish and Chilean sea bass, as well as the seabed species such as sea urchins, clams, among others.
• In aquaculture, Chile is the second largest producer of salmon and the first of trout, with an activity that has been concentrated in the southern region. In the same area, the Chilean mussel is grown due to the quality of water. Mussels are very appreciated in European markets and in recent times also in countries like Russia and China.
• As acknowledged in leading world rankings, Chile is noted for low country risk, an open economy, transparency, legal certainty, skilled human resources and outstanding business opportunities.

Chile & USA FTA

The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Chile and the United States was signed on June 6, 2003 and entered into force on 1 January, 2004.

In January 2014 the FTA turned ten years in force, during which excellent bilateral relationship has reflected in the ongoing work of implementation and modernization of the treaty, to adapt to the realities and needs of the commercial relationship between the two countries, such as tax relief of all industrial goods.

In January 2015, the FTA between Chile and the United States was completely liberated, according to the tariff reduction schedule. The most emblematic zero tariff products include canned peaches, wine, tomato paste and canned mixed fruit. Additionally, products such as avocados, milk powder, condensed milk and cheese no longer have quota restrictions.

With the FTA our exports of seafood have intensified in recent times. In 2013 the United States surpassed Japan as the main destination for Chilean seafood, making this market much more attractive and relevant. Compared to 2012, 2013 against exports in this sector increased by 35%, resulting in an increase of $ 347 million dollars. The main sea product exported to the USA is salmon, which saw record-breaking figures for 2013 with over 1.132 million dollars, making Chile as the main supplier for this product.

FOODS FROM CHILE. Source of Life

Chile is a paradise for food production, acclaimed for its fruits, vegetables, wines, meats and seafood. Hence in order to position its international food industry to the final consumer, Chile runs the campaign “Foods From Chile: Source of Life”.

One of the key markets of this campaign is the U.S., Chile’s main trading partner in food, focusing on five cities where there is a growing interest in improving its quality of life through these products: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington and Chicago. This coupled with the country’s status as a producer of healthy and quality foods appears as a opportunity to boost food export supply from Chile to a market that has reached high levels of penetration in fresh and processed products such as peaches, cherries, blueberries, seafood and wines, among others.

Chilean Food Exports to the World
In 2014, Chilean food and beverage exports to the world reached USD 16,294 million.

Source: ProChile with figures of Chile’s Central Bank

Activities at Seafood Expo North America 2015

About ProChile

ProChile is the institution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile responsible for promoting exports of goods and services of the country. ProChile also contributes to encourage foreign investments and tourism in Chile. It has a network of over 50 trade offices worldwide and 15 regional offices throughout the country, with specialized teams that contribute to positioning Chile’s attributes in international markets.

Companies at Chilean Pavilion

Come and discover the amazing variety of seafood Chile has to offer (Hall B2- Stand 2117). This year, ten companies will surprise you with Chile’s highest quality salmon, trout, mussels, giant squid, crab, sea urchin, amongst many others.

Chilean Companies Information