The world looks at Chile: the trade agreements that expand the borders of agriculture

In November, the massive harvest of Chilean cherries began, and with this the agricultural export season was kicked off, the peak of which extends until February and continues to develop until April or early May. Today Chile has 33 trade agreements with economies that represent 85% of global GDP, positioning itself as one of the countries that has the largest network of agreements in the world. This opening of Chile to the world began strongly in 1990, the year in which there were 4,125 exporting companies. Three decades later, the number increased to 7,600, half of them SMEs, according to figures from the Undersecretary of International Economic Relations. At the same time, in these 30 years, non-copper exports went from US$4,648 million to more than US$35 billion. “In the nineties, free trade agreements were expected by the entire country and Chilean fruit had an enormous boost,” says Felipe Rieutord, treasurer of Fedefruta, who also highlights what it has meant for the ...