Chile starts 2021 with sharp drop in meat production

According to data from the Secretariat for Agrarian Studies and Policies (Odepa), Chile started 2021 with a fall of 11.4% in beef production, which was 17,245 t in January. All categories reduced their production. In the case of pigs, the reduction was 3.2% and stood at 44,937 t. In poultry, the reduction was also quite strong, -10.9%, placing production at 53,577 t. The fall in production also affected exports of Chilean meat in the period from January to February: that of beef fell 29.8% and stood at 2,338 t. Poultry also stood out and stood at 19,756 t, 22.5% less. Facing this, the hog sales, the drop in hog sales was 8.2% and remained at 39,428 t. In view of these reductions, meat imports increased in the first two months of 2021: in the case of pigs, they increased 95.2%, to 26,989 t. In poultry, it increased 38.3% to 26,920 t, while in beef it dropped 5% and remained at 34,187 t. Specifically for beef, the main suppliers are Paraguay (48.4%), Brazil (30.6%) and Argentina ...