For the first time, exports exceeded the US$ 100 billion barrier and were led by copper, which achieved returns of US$ 50,858 million, recording an increase of 17.3% compared to 2023.
The Government of Chile, through the Undersecretariat of International Economic Relations (Subrei), announced that the export sector in 2024 reached historic figures in shipments of goods, services and in the number of exporting companies.
“In addition, 833 products and services achieved a record value in their shipments abroad last year.
Exports of goods
Last year, the value of goods exports totaled US$ 100,163 million in 2024, a growth of 5.9% compared to 2023 and marking its highest value since records began.
For the first time, they surpassed the US$ 100 billion barrier in foreign sales, Subrei noted.
The dynamism of the export sector in 2024 was led by copper, which achieved returns of US$ 50,858 million, recording an increase of 17.3% compared to 2023.
This growth thus offset the decline in the value of lithium shipments in the period (-56.6%), which totaled shipments worth US$ 2,893 million. Iodine, meanwhile, recorded shipments worth US$ 1,436 million, showing an increase of 7.6% compared to 2023.
Processed food sales abroad totaled returns of US$12.824 billion, up 0.3% compared to 2023, due to higher shipments of frozen fruit, poultry, mussels, fishmeal, pork and canned fish, among others. This offset the decline recorded by salmon shipments during the period.
Fresh fruit, for its part, has registered a record in its sales abroad, accumulating operations for US$8,245 million in 2024, an increase of 28.6% compared to 2023, driven by increasing shipments of cherries, grapes, apples, kiwis, avocados and plums.
The forestry and wood furniture industry closed the year with foreign sales of US$2,356 million, reflecting an increase of 4.8%, supported by the positive results of shipments of sawn wood, plywood, fiberboard and profiled wood. Cellulose shipments, meanwhile, totaled foreign sales of US$2,968 million, showing an increase of 22.3% compared to what was recorded during 2023.
The wine sector generated foreign sales of US$1,636 million, with a growth of 6.7% compared to 2023, largely supported by the increase in the bottled wine category, which is added to the rise in bulk wine shipments.
Services exports
In 2024, service exports rose to US$2.869 billion, showing an increase of 18% compared to the same period in 2023, reaching its highest value since records began.
The main service exported last year was “provision of hosting for websites and email” which totaled operations worth US$ 392 million.
This is followed by “maintenance and repair of aircraft” with US$ 378 million; “technical support in computing and information technology via the Internet” with US$ 189 million; “consulting in information technology” with US$ 107 million; and “consulting in business marketing management” with US$ 102 million. Collectively, these five services accounted for 40% of the sector’s shipments.
Other outstanding services in 2024 were “original software design” with shipments for US$ 71.4 million; “filming of movies using animation techniques” US$ 38.7 million; “R&D in chemistry and biology with US$ 30.6 million; “engineering for copper mining facilities” with US$ 19.4 million; “consulting in engineering applied to mining with US$ 12 million; and “reproduction and development of mother material for the generation of horticultural plants with US$ 10.5 million, to name a few.
In 2024, Chilean services will reach 131 destinations worldwide.
The main markets were the United States with operations worth US$ 953.7 million, followed by Peru (US$ 516.9 million) and Colombia (US$ 217.1 million). Collectively, these three markets represent 58.8% of the sector's shipments.
Number of exporting companies
In 2024, 8,567 Chilean companies recorded exports, the highest number since records began and representing a 4% increase compared to 2023.
53% of the country's exporting companies are SMEs (4,579 companies), which collectively totaled shipments worth US$2.219 billion, representing the highest value exported by this type of company since records began.
The most notable items in their shipments were fresh cherries, fresh grapes, fresh blueberries, bottled wines, nuts, cuttlefish, seaweed, seeds, olive oil, fresh garlic and raisins.
In terms of sectors, a total of 5,177 companies exported manufactured goods, 1,780 shipped agricultural products and 1,149 companies provided services abroad. Other relevant sectors in terms of the number of exporters were wines (406), fishing and aquaculture (347), the forestry industry (321) and mining (264).
67.6% of the country's exporters sent their shipments to Latin America (5,788 companies). Other important destinations were Europe (2,622), North America (2,560), Asia (2,099), the Middle East (352) and Africa (311).
Record products and services
During 2024, a large number of national products and services contributed strongly to the great boom in the country's exports, Subrei highlighted: a total of 757 goods achieved record shipments in 2024.
In addition to copper and fresh cherries, other products include gold, chilled Atlantic salmon, new varieties of fresh grapes, fresh plums, frozen Pacific salmon, frozen horse mackerel, fresh plums, canned mussels, fresh kiwis, shelled walnuts, bottled white wine blends, fresh nectarines, change boxes, condensed milk, olive oil, frozen deep-sea cod, frozen asparagus, electricity, malt beer, sparkling wines and dried rosehip, to name just a few.
In terms of services, a total of 76 services abroad recorded their highest export value in 2024. These include cloud centers, original software design, filming using animation techniques, remote monitoring, geological prospecting, R&D in agronomy, technical drawing in engineering and architecture, and environmental engineering consulting, among others.
