The Minister of Agriculture highlighted the strategic role of the meat sector in the agricultural export agenda, the progress in negotiating health agreements, and the strengthening of Chile’s international standing. She also underscores the importance of the Chile Conscious Origin label as a key tool for promoting sustainable agri-food production that is aligned with the growing demands of global markets.
A sociologist with more than 20 years of experience in public policy, decentralization, and rural development, Ignacia Fernández has led teams at institutions such as the Undersecretary for Regional Development and the Latin American Center for Rural Development (RIMISP), in addition to her academic work at various universities. In this interview with ChileCarne, she also addresses the challenges posed by market diversification and what needs to be done to make the industry more competitive.
What are the main challenges you have pinpointed for the agricultural sector, and what priorities guide your work at this stage?
In the coming months, my work will be guided by three main priorities. The first is to strengthen our capacity to monitor and control fruit flies through a comprehensive, cross-sector action plan. This plan includes legislative and administrative measures to reinforce border controls against illegal entry and increase tourist activity. We are confident that such an intervention will guarantee conditions similar to those we have already achieved in tackling possible outbreaks of avian influenza, including biosafety protocols shared by the industry and small producers. This also includes our efforts to reform the Criminal Code to penalize the illegal importation of agricultural products, not just their distribution, as is currently the case.
A second priority is forestry, where we intend to ratify an agreement for sustainable forest management that will allow us to support the forestry sector affected by fires and a lack of incentives, with a special focus on the situation in the Biobío Region through the Industrial Recovery Plan led by the Ministry of Economy. At the same time, we are working on implementing the new National Forest Service (SERNAFOR), passing the forest fire prevention bill, and preparing for the 2025-2026 fire season.
Finally, in terms of competitiveness and productive development, I have made a twofold commitment. On the one hand, continue strengthening small-scale farming by supporting formalization through INDAP, which is necessary to improve access to AFC markets. On the other hand, expand the sustainable agricultural export agenda by diversifying markets and speeding up health authorizations.
The meat industry is a key player in the country’s agricultural export strategy. What opportunities and challenges do you see for the pork and poultry sector in the medium and long term?
The meat sector is key to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Sustainable Agricultural Export Competitiveness Agenda because of its contribution to employment, investment, and supply chains. I am committed to continuing to expand in strategic markets such as the United States, Mexico, China, Japan, and South Korea. We will also continue to negotiate health zoning agreements that will allow us to keep trade open in the event of disease outbreaks.
For example, we were very successful in reaching agreements on this issue following the 2023 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, notably with the United States.
We continue to see opportunities for diversification in different markets. Southeast Asia has enormous potential, and we hope to continue growing there. In Vietnam, we opened a new agricultural attaché office in 2024. One of its objectives is to finalize the health authorization, which has been under negotiation for more than 10 years. This process has already progressed following the inspection visit in 2024. In the Philippines, we are negotiating a comprehensive trade agreement to improve access conditions for Chilean livestock.
Last year, Chile’s pork exports amounted to $710 million USD, up 1.7% from 2023. The main destination markets were South Korea, with a 26% share; Japan, with 25%; China, with 24%; and Costa Rica, with 5%.
Poultry exports in 2024 totaled $407 million USD, an increase of 15% compared to 2023. This is mainly due to the recovery of markets after several countries recognized Chile as free from highly pathogenic avian influenza, and successful zoning negotiations with key markets like the United States, the European Union, and Canada.
Our top markets in 2024 were the United States, with a 40% share; Mexico, with 22%; Puerto Rico, with 17%; and Canada, with 7%. Keep in mind that, in 2022, before the avian influenza outbreaks, China was the third largest destination market with a 15% share. China only just recognized Chile as disease-free in mid-2024, which explains its lower market share last year.
Between January and August 2025, exports totaled $326 million USD, up 20% from the same period in 2024. During this period, exports to China rebounded, rising from $64 thousand USD between January and August 2024 to $24 million USD between the same months in 2025, ranking fifth among destinations after the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada. Exports to the United States grew by 3%, despite the tariffs imposed by the current administration.
What measures are being implemented today by the Ministry to step up health prevention and ensure that markets retain their confidence in Chilean products?
In addition to the special focus and priority we are giving to the fruit fly situation, SAG keeps a constant watch on the primary diseases that affect productivity and animal health. These plans are intended to establish strategies for the early detection of pathogens, which allows us to control them and minimize their impact.
We are also working hard to upgrade and fortify the institutional capacity of the SAG through the Chile Feeds the Future Program (Ministry of Agriculture-IDB). This initiative will strengthen the diagnostic capacity of the laboratory network and enable faster responses to confirm any suspicions. Above all, it will improve our capacity for health intelligence, enhancing our ability to anticipate and prevent potential risks based on climate, health, and social variables.
Our government has also worked to strengthen Chile’s international reputation in terms of health, showcasing our health conditions and our ability to respond to disease emergencies. This has translated into zoning agreements that allow for the continued trade of safe food from areas recognized as disease-free.
How does the Ministry help promote market diversification for pork and chicken and consolidate strategic destinations that are already open, in the face of growing international trade demands?
Our work combines health diplomacy, market intelligence, and public-private management, aligned with the Sustainable Agro-Export Competitiveness Agenda. Through our agenda and actions—including the Ministry’s agricultural attachés and international visits, together with the SAG and ODEPA—we seek to open new markets and to consolidate those where Chile is already present. Together with the Undersecretariat for International Economic Affairs (SUBREI), ProChile, and the Ministry’s own teams, we are identifying new opportunities and expanding the horizons for Chilean agricultural and forestry exports through new health and trade negotiations.
How important do you consider public-private partnerships with associations such as ChileCarne when it comes to advancing issues such as biosecurity, market openings, and sustainability?
I have been very vocal in pointing out that public-private partnerships are essential for the growth of the agricultural sector. In today’s climate, the dynamism of international trade and the shifting geopolitical landscape challenge us to deepen this partnership to build public policies with a sense of urgency and a long-term vision, as we are already doing.
The Agri-Food Export Council, which brings together export-oriented trade associations and has met regularly since 2014, is a successful example of public-private partnership and highlights the importance that this Ministry gives to collaboration. Another good example is the Export Promotion Fund Council, where I served as Undersecretary, and we were able to report on the Fund’s performance and bolster its impact on the government’s export diversification agenda.
Public-private collaboration is the defining feature of the Sustainable Agricultural Export Competitiveness agenda promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture. This agenda has strengthened the Chilean agricultural sector’s position in international markets in terms of image, quality, safety, and sustainable production.
Under President Gabriel Boric’s administration, agricultural attaché offices have been expanded to diversify our export markets, resulting in more than 70 health authorizations and openings in 23 markets. In today’s world, we don’t just depend on China, the United States, and the European Union. Markets such as Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and Brazil have become increasingly important.
In terms of sustainability and traceability, what is being planned for Chile Conscious Origin and for information systems that hope to demonstrate environmental and social performance in target markets?
The Ministry of Agriculture is actively promoting the Chile Conscious Origin program as a state seal of sustainability, with white meats leading the way since the beginning. This program sets demanding standards developed in collaboration with industry associations to ensure food production aligns with environmental, social, and animal welfare requirements.
In 2025, we updated our manuals and tools to improve the traceability of industry progress and, for the first time, allow this progress to be reported directly to consumers via official channels. The dairy sector was the first to implement the program, but we expect white meat to be the next sector to fully adopt it, given its maturity and leadership in sustainable practices.
In conjunction, we also lead the Sustainability Working Group of the Agri-Food Export Council, where we, together with ProChile and industry associations, are building a national narrative of agri-food sustainability. In 2024, we carried out a technical assessment of regulatory frameworks and sector initiatives. This year, we are developing a robust communications proposal and audiovisual campaign to highlight our progress with a coherent and credible narrative, especially in demanding markets.
Our view is that both the narrative and the Chile Conscious Origin label are coordinated tools that strengthen our export differentiation. To this end, we are working with agricultural attachés and at international trade fairs to promote these qualities at a global level over the coming years. We believe that sustainability is not only a prerequisite for competing in demanding markets but also a strategic advantage for Chile, thanks to the progress we have made in the sector. Today, sustainability is a hallmark that sets us apart, reflecting our commitment to modern, responsible agriculture and livestock farming that is internationally recognized.
