Over 97 per cent of Chile’s corn imports come from Argentina and Paraguay. Both countries have shipped over 336 thousand metric tons during the first six months of 2013, which is a 15 per cent increase when compared to the same period of last year.
Corn imports during the first six months of 2013 increased 15 per cent when compared to the same period of 2012. A little over 61 per cent of these imports come from Argentina, in spite of a provisional antidumping measure applied to imports of 10.8 per cent to broken kernel corn since April 1, 2013 and a safeguard of 9.7 per cent to whole grain corn coming from Argentina, applied since April 24, 2013. Paraguay is the second place supplier of corn with an estimated 36 per cent of total imports for the first 6 months of 2013. Last year 52 per cent came from Argentina and 42 per cent from Paraguay.
Imports from Paraguay come mainly during the months of October through March of each year and imports from Argentina come throughout the year with smaller amounts imported during the domestic harvest period (April through June) and during the months when imports come from Paraguay (October through March). A 97.4 per cent of the total corn imported from Argentina and Paraguay during 2012 and the first semester of 2013 came by ocean freight and Agrosuper the largest poultry and swine producer in Chile imported almost 93 per cent of the total volume imported during this period of time.
Domestic prices of corn have been falling in-line with international prices as a result of a larger expected harvest in the US as the projected plantings for this year increased significantly when compared to last year. As a result corn production in Chile for the 2013/14 season is expected to be similar to last year--that is around 1.5 million metric tons.
