The pork market in Chile

Over half the demand for meat is dominated by fresh meat, with frozen meat representing 5% of all categories of meat. While small, there is an opportunity for growth as behaviours are changing and the consumption of pork per capita is expected to continue to steadily increase to reach an estimated 22 kg by 2028.

Pork meat remains one of the most consumed proteins after  poultry, which is expected to reach around 39 kg by 2028, while beef and veal are forecast to reach around 20 kg per capita by 2028. These figures place pork as the second highest consumed meat in Chile.

Despite the impact of Covid-19, in 2020, Chile’s gross domestic product (GDP) was around $252.76 billion, with a forecast increase of 36.6% by 2026 to reach $398,68 billion.

This increase in the GDP is a good indicator of Chile’s economic power as it suggests an increase in disposable income. It was reported that the growth in the meat sector is supported by the increased spending by middle-class consumers.

Consumer behaviour is changing. There is a shift from locally-produced goods to more expensive, higher quality products, including processed and packaged.

In 2020, it was reported that Chileans experienced a change in their eating habits, from the traditional consumption of beef towards poultry and pork.

In 2021, Brazil was the main exporter of pig meat to Chile, representing 39% of total imports, followed by the US (26%), Germany (21%) and Spain (4%).

In the first half of 2021, pig meat imports increased by over 70%, in response to pork products being diverted from China.