China bought 85 per cent of Chile's beef in the first eight months of its biggest export destination

According to the latest report from Odepa, Chile's agriculture ministry, beef exports totaled $65.3 million between January and August 2020, up 33 percent from a year earlier. Exports totaled 16,673 tons, up 36 percent year on year. China is the main destination for Chile's beef exports, accounting for 85 percent of its total exports, followed by Canada (7 percent) and Spain (2 percent).

Maria Emilia Undurraga, the head of Odepa, congratulated her on the news, the Chilean radio station Bio-Bio reported. She said the increase in Chilean beef exports was mainly due to increased demand in the Chinese market. She also pointed out that expanding exports is a major way to boost the country's beef industry.

On the other hand, from January to August 2020, Chile's beef imports totaled us $605 million, down 15% year-on-year. Imports totaled 1304.91 million tons, down 15 percent year on year.

According to Odepa, the reduction in beef imports is mainly due to a decline in consumption of coronavirus related products. On the bright side, Chilean consumers prefer domestic beef to imported beef.

According to statistics, the main sources of Chile's beef imports are Paraguay (40.6%), Brazil (35%) and Argentina (19.1%).