July 2, 2007

Chile's Jan- May beef exports up 8.8 percent on-year to US$11.9 million

Beef exports from Chile increased by 8.8 pct year-on-year to US$11.9 million (8.8 million euro) from January to May 2007, the national agricultural policy and research office ODEPA said on June 27.

Beef exports, in terms of volume, registered an 8.3 percent rise to 3,615 tonnes over the period.

Mexico seized 34 percent of Chilean beef exports, followed by Cuba with 16 percent, the UK with 15 percent, Japan with 11 percent, the USA and Germany with 8 percent each, the Netherlands with 5.percent, and Costa Rica with 1 percent.

Chile has exported duty-free beef to the USA in January this year resulting to triple volume exports in the first five months of 2007, compared to the same period in 2006, ODEPA director, Reinaldo Ruiz, pointed out.