Plans to export meat from Bolivia to Chile are being implemented

"A mission from Chile previously visited and provided recommendations to the Bolivian HEALTH service. Today they came to review the implementation, which we consider favorable," said Walter Ruiz, president of the Santa Cruz Cattle Breeders Federation (Fegasacruz).

The sector's HEAD explained that the delegation remained in the country for a week, visited several sections of the production chain, and would respond within 60 days on whether it supported the purchase of Bolivian MEAT.

"We understand that if the agreement is approved in writing," the expert noted, "there is a possibility that meat processing plants could open in the very near future, which would allow meat exports to Chile."

Experts from the National Service for Animal Health and Food Safety (SENASAG) met with representatives of the Chilean Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) to organize the sanitary cleaning of Bolivian products and by-products of animal origin, in particular beef.

SAG representatives visited several meat processing plants last April to review the meat production chain. They then made several recommendations, which have now been verified.

Since last year, efforts have been made to open the Chilean market to Bolivian products such as MILK , beef , oregano, avocado, llama products and by-products, Amazon fruits , peanuts, almonds, honey and eggs .

According to the Bolivian Institute of Foreign Trade (IBCE), between 2015 and 2024 , the country exported beef and its derivatives worth a total of US $883 million , a record for the national livestock sector.

This growth was particularly driven last year, when total foreign sales were $245.7 million, up 24 percent in value and 41 percentage points in volume compared to 2023.

The main market for Bolivian meat is the Chinese market.

Bolivian Deputy Foreign Minister Elmer Catarina told Prensa Latina on April 18 about what he called a "historic milestone" marking ties between the Andean-Amazonian country and its neighbor Chile.

"I believe that Bolivia and Chile are celebrating a historic milestone since March 23, when our President Luis Arce announced this goal in his speech at Plaza Abaroa in La Paz," he told the news agency.