Chile is already a major food exporter. Industries, such as salmon farming, winemaking and fresh fruit production, that hardly existed just a quarter of a century ago, have grown into multi-million dollar businesses that claim an important share of world markets.

With food exports topping US$8 billion in 2005, Chile now takes 17th place among the world's food providers, ranking between Argentina and New Zealand. And, as the country's network of free trade agreements opens up new markets, the country's agricultural industry is widely expected to take a great leap forward.

Authorities in both the private and public sectors now talk of Chile emerging as one of the world's top ten food exporters over the next decade. That would mean roughly doubling the value of the country's food exports to US$15 billion to stand shoulder-to shoulder with the likes of Spain or Australia.