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In 2022, the Chilean retail food industry witnessed a robust recovery, with total sales reaching approximately $29.5 billion, a 20.9 percent over 2021. Supermarkets and grocery stores remained the primary retail channels for food products, accounting for around 55.5 percent of the market share.

Chile is the second-largest South American market for U.S. agricultural products. Solid political institutions and a stable macroeconomic environment, combined with high consumer purchasing power, make Chile a lucrative market for U.S. producers of wheat, cheese, pet food, alcoholic beverages, and other consumer-oriented products.

In MY 2022/23, FAS Santiago estimates lemon production will increase by 26.4 percent and total 172,000 MT (metric tons) due to favorable climatic conditions. Lemon exports will increase by 33.9 percent and reach 75,000 MT due to higher productions and a decrease in freight costs.

In marketing year (MY) 2022/23, FAS Santiago estimates that table grape production will decrease by 8.6 percent reaching 720,000 metric tons and that exports will decrease by 8.7 percent, totaling 555,000 metric tons.

Chile has a modern and developed food and beverage processing industry. The Chilean food sector is the second most relevant export sector in the country after mining.

In marketing year (MY) 2023/24, Post forecasts wheat area harvested will reach 215,000 hectares (ha) and production will total 1.32 million metric tons (MMT), unchanged from MY 2022/23 as production was limited by the high costs of inputs.

The wine production area in Chile spans from the Atacama to Araucania region, with vineyards scattered up and down the regions’ valleys. Chilean area planted for wine totaled 130,086 hectares in 2021.

In February, wildfires ravaged central Chile throughout the the Maule, Biobio, Ñuble, and Araucania regions. The fires expanded quickly due to high temperatures and windy conditions, causing loss of lives, destruction of homes, and damage to basic infrastructure.

In 2021, the Chilean economy grew by 11.7 percent. Government support programs increased disposable income for many consumers, putting upward pressure on consumption of beef, pork, and chicken.

After a nearly six percent decrease in GDP in 2020, the Chilean economy grew by 11.7 percent in 2021 and by 2.4 percent in 2022. In 2023, the Chilean Central Bank projects a contraction in GDP that will range between 0.75 and 1.75 percent.

Blueberry area planted went from around 7,000 hectares (ha) in marketing year (MY) 2010/11 to over 18,000 ha in MY 2021/22. The United States is the top market for Chilean fresh and frozen blueberries, receiving more than half of the Chilean export volume.

With solid political institutions, a stable macroeconomic environment, and well-functioning financial markets, Chile ranks amongst the highest nations in competitiveness in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the IMD (World Competitiveness Ranking, 2022).