In February 2021, the country's commercial exchange reached US $ 13.089 million, growing 36% compared to the same period of the previous year. The country's foreign trade grew at its highest rate in the last 10 years. Imports amounted to US $ 6.018 million, an increase of 32% compared to the same month in 2020, according to a report prepared by the Undersecretary of International Economic Relations (SUBREI), with figures from the Central Bank.

On the other hand, during the month Chile's exports rose to US $ 7.071 million, with a growth of 41% compared to February 2020. Copper shipments totaled US $ 3.878 million, growing by 65% ​​in the same month of 2020. Likewise, exports were boosted by sales abroad of products hit by the pandemic, such as pulp and services.

The Subsecretary of SUBREI, Rodrigo Yáñez, referred to the good moment of exports, which explains that our largest trading partners -China, the United States and the European Union (EU) - are showing signs of economic and productive reactivation. Also, the authority highlighted that "95,2% of the country's exports went to the economies with which Chile has signed Free Trade Agreements."

The authority highlighted the rise in services, which totaled US $ 146 million in February (+ 38% compared to the same month of 2020), registering the best February since it has been registered. This expansion is mainly justified by the exports of "hosting and email supply services", "Commercial commission services", among others.

"The expansion of the exportable offer with a focus on services and digital commerce together with the diversification of destination markets is essential for economic reactivation," said Undersecretary Rodrigo Yáñez.

On the other hand, food exports totaled US $ 1.684 million (+ 29% compared to February 2020) with increases in shipments of fresh cherries, frozen Pacific salmon, blueberries, Atlantic salmon fillets, pork, frozen strawberries, hazelnuts, inulin and raisins, among others.

In geographical terms, China led shipments for the month with US $ 2.218 million (+ 53% compared to February 2020). It was followed by the United States with US $ 1.092 million (+ 57% compared to shipments in February 2020). In this way, our second commercial partner concentrated 19% of our shipments to the world. In third place was the EU, with sales to the block amounting to US $ 552,2 million (+ 29% compared to February 2020). Also noteworthy is the 228% rise to Indonesia, being the trading partner to which our shipments grew the most -in percentage terms- during February due to higher shipments of cellulose, copper, fresh cherries, fresh grapes, potassium iodide and services.

Regarding the country's regions, 14 of the sixteen increased their shipments to the world during February 2021, the increases were led by Antofagasta (+ US $ 270 million), O'Higgins (+ US $ 235 million) and Tarapacá (+ US $ $ 132 million).

Although exports in general terms show increases in practically all variables, the number of exporting companies has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels. In February 2020, 2.742 companies with foreign sales were registered, 9% less than the 3.013 exporters in February 2020.

Imports

Imports, meanwhile, totaled US $ 6.018 million, showing increases in all categories: intermediate goods (+ 28%), consumer goods (+ 37%) and capital goods (+ 33%).

“The rapid vaccination process and the better prospects for controlling the pandemic have been engines of the reactivation of domestic consumption. Proof of this is that in February imports jumped 32%, growing in all categories, such as automobiles (64%; + US $ 87 million), cell phones (96%; + US $ 75 million), cargo trucks (44%; + US $ 57 million), computers (118%; + US $ 35 million) and televisions (89%; + US $ 21 million), accounting for the best internal scenario ”, said Undersecretary Rodrigo Yáñez.