Public-private sector roundtable meets to report on the status of Chilean shipments to China in the face of the coronavirus outbreak
The second public-private, multidisciplinary roundtable brought together representatives from the government and the national export sector to analyze the consequences of the emergency China is facing due to the coronavirus and to report on the status of Chilean shipments to the Asian country.
Today, the second public-private, multidisciplinary roundtable brought together representatives from the government and the national export sector at the Foreign Affairs Ministry to analyze the consequences of the emergency China is facing due to the coronavirus and to report on the status of Chilean shipments to the Asian country.
The meeting was led by Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Rodrigo Yañez, Acting Finance Minister Francisco Moreno, Acting Agriculture Minister José Ignacio Pinochet, Acting Mining Minister Ricardo Irarrázabal, along with the General Director of ProChile Jorge O’Ryan and authorities from the National Customs Service, Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG), Office of Agrarian Studies and Policies (ODEPA) and National Fisheries Service (SERNAPESCA).
At the meeting, government authorities and union representatives agreed to create a technical working group that produces information for the export sector daily. ProChile, National Customs Service, SAG and SERNAPESCA will participate on this working group with services related to exporter needs.
The main themes addressed at the meeting were related to redirecting experts to third markets, which requires State-issued certificates or the applicable regulatory, phytosanitary and animal health procedures that are possible at this juncture.
Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Rodrigo Yañez said that “the main problems today are logistics and distribution chains, primarily transportation. However, at the beginning of this week we saw gradual reactivation in the Chinese markets at different consumption centers. The different manufacturing centers are scheduled to reactivate between now and February 17.”
At the same time, the authorities emphasized the need to diversify markets in order to face complex situations such as the one China is currently experiencing, for example, with shipments that are being redirected.
“In terms of the strategy of diversifying the export basket and destination markets, we are working hard with India, the Eurasian Economic Commission, with countries in the Persian Gulf and North Africa and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).”
This second round table was attended by representatives from ChileCarne, Exporlac, Wines of Chile, Sofofa, Codelco, Sonapesca, Cochilco, Asoex, National Chamber of Commerce, Chile Alimentos, FaenaCar, Chile Oliva, Chile Nut, Sonami, FedeFruta, CPC, Chile Prunes, Chile Alimentos and Corfo. The invitation was also extended to fruit cooperatives, including Vinos Lautaro, Viña Caupolicán, Coop Loncomilla, Frutos Lipimávida, Chiloegourmet, Apicoop and Agronuez Choapa.
Participants highlighted that the juncture at which China finds itself today is “a delicate humanitarian situation.”
“The government and the private sector are willing to work with the people of China and we trust that the situation will improve thanks to the measures that Chinese authorities have vigorously taken,” said the Acting Foreign Affairs Minister.
Shipment status
The authorities highlighted that the status of copper shipments —which represent two thirds of national exports to the Chinese market— is normal in terms of contracts and the logistics chain. The impact of the health crisis has been observed in price.
Agrifood is the most exposed Chilean export sector. However, in this instance, Acting Minister Yañez assured that “products are currently in cold chains and we are attentive to changes in the opening of more port routes and increased activity to release containers.”