November 21, 2008

Chile's pork exports are expected to fall 15 percent this year due to the closing of the South Korean market.

South Korea suspended imports of Chilean pork in August after detecting dioxin-tainted packages more than once.

Chilean officials have blamed the contamination on feed containing zinc oxide, and the Chilean government has sent documentation to South Korea clarifying the origins of the contamination and outlining measures taken to avoid a repeat of the problem.

Chile had earlier admitted that 4.5 percent of its hog production was affected by dioxin, but said its pork was mostly safe.

South Korea accounted for one-third of Chilean pork exports before the ban.