Organized by the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), Faenacar, and ChileCarne, the event looked back at 2024 and discussed challenges and priorities to ensure the sustainable growth of Chilean exports in 2025.
On December 17, the 2024 Public-Private Partnership Assessment and 2025 Outlook Event was held at Hotel Cumbres in Santiago, setting an important milestone in the work to promote joint strategies between the public and private sectors.
Organized by SAG, in collaboration with Faenacar, the Chilean Meat Packers Association, and ChileCarne, it brought together SAG officials from the Valparaíso and O’Higgins regions and trade associations to discuss progress, problems, and key challenges of Chilean agriculture and husbandry.
The session was inaugurated by SAG’s National Director, José Guajardo, who highlighted the achievements of 2024, including progress in opening of new markets and strengthening health protocols. Guajardo also underscored the importance of working together with trade associations to meet the challenges of international trade, such as the growing requirements related to quality and food safety standards.
Carlos Orellana, Head of SAG’s Livestock Division, presented a comparative technical analysis of Chile’s performance in international markets against key competitors such as Brazil.
One of the highlights of the session was the presentation by Rafael Lecaros, General Manager of Faenacar and representative of ChileMeat, who addressed the situation of cattle and sheep farming. According to Lecaros, the sector has a significant base of small producers, but its limited scale poses challenges for its consolidation and global competitiveness.
Juan Carlos Domínguez, President of ChileCarne, provided an overview of the pork and poultry industry, highlighting that 59% of the Chilean production of pork, chicken, and turkey is exported, mainly to Asia. Domínguez underscored that, although Chile is renowned for its strengths in traceability and quality, it still faces the challenge of diversifying its destination markets and optimizing the costs associated with foreign trade. “The concentration of our exports in Asia exposes us to significant risks. If one of these markets faces a health crisis or temporarily closes its borders, the impact on our sector would be devastating. We need to follow the example of countries like Brazil, which exports to more than 98 countries, providing greater stability and capacity to respond to emergencies.”
The event concluded with an open discussion on existing problems and solutions, such as implementing health pre-audits to be prepared to enter new markets and improving protocols to respond to international requirements. These actions will only guarantee the continuity of Chilean exports, but also strengthen the country’s position as a reliable supplier of quality foods in a highly competitive global market.
The presence of ChileCarne and other trade associations demonstrates the value of this type of event to align efforts, generate synergies, and chart a joint path towards a more dynamic and diversified 2025 for Chilean agricultural and livestock exports. “These meetings are crucial for identifying common priorities and strengthening our ability to think ahead. Public-private collaboration helps us address challenges quickly and effectively,” Domínguez concluded.
