During May, the ChilePork sector brand left its mark in Asia by organizing seminars and networking events in Seoul, South Korea, and Tokyo, Japan, as part of its annual tour of the continent’s strategic markets.
Drawing the attention of authorities, importers, and media in Asian markets, the ChilePork sector brand consolidated its position as a world leader in the production and exportation of pork with 100% traceable production processes, with the support of the Chilean embassies and the Commercial and Agricultural Attaché Offices in both countries.
The seminars in Japan and South Korea, aimed at importers and pork industry media outlets, featured the participation of Brett Stuart, a leading international expert in the meat sector. With his approachable and engaging style, Stuart presented a broad overview of the global meat industry, providing insights and projections for the future. He also pointed out that pork prices are expected to rise in the second half of the year.
The Chilean Ambassador to South Korea, Mathias Francke, who took part in the activities, expressed his surprise and satisfaction with the warm reception of the seminars. “I was impressed by the huge turnout, the quality of the presentations and the interest shown by South Koreans. The presentation and discussions were highly interesting and frank,” he said.
Stuart stressed the key role that China will play in the global meat trade in the coming months, urging countries to keep an eye on the evolution of diseases such as African swine fever and Avian influenza. It also revealed that the global demand for protein will outpace the supply of beef, pork, and poultry in the next 10 years due to the population’s growing income. According to his forecasts, meeting this demand will require an additional 68 million tons, equivalent to 22% of consumption, between 2021 and 2031.
At each seminar, ChileCarne’s president Juan Carlos Domínguez presented updated figures on the Chilean pork industry, highlighting the measures that have been taken in terms of biosecurity, food safety, and sustainability. He highlighted the added value of Chilean pork, emphasizing its unique production model in which each company has complete control of all its processes from farm to table, which guarantees 100% traceability and top quality products.
In Japan, Dominguez also highlighted the benefits of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which entered into force in February of this year. The agreement offers significant tariff reductions for Chilean pork, giving Chile a competitive position in the Japanese market. He also highlighted the opportunities created by the “cumulation of origin system” among the 11 member countries.
Nury Disegni Gili, Commercial and Agricultural Attaché at the ProChile office in Tokyo, highlighted the importance of Japan as the third largest destination for Chilean exports and its main investment partner. “Hosting events such as ChilePork in Tokyo only strengthens our commercial relations with Japanese companies. This type of event is also an opportunity to build loyalty among our commercial partners and strengthen the confidence that our products are high quality, healthy, and safe,” she said.
The seminars concluded with a networking event, where Chilean exporting companies were able to connect with local importers and treat them to delicious preparations of Chilean pork.
ChilePork’s presence in South Korea and Japan has been fundamental in strengthening the international projection of the Chilean pork industry. Continued development and high production standards in food safety, biosecurity, and sustainability have allowed the sector to consolidate its position as Chile’s fourth largest food exporter as of 2022. ChilePork seeks to highlight these competitive advantages in comparison with other Asian markets.
Japan, as Chile’s fourth largest trading partner, is currently showing a keen interest in Chilean pork, accounting for 12% and 18% of total exports in terms of tonnage and value, respectively. South Korea is the second largest destination market for Chilean pork, accounting for 13% and 25% of total exports in terms of tonnage and value, respectively.
See videos of these events at the following links:
