en.Wedoany.com Reported - According to Chile's Foreign Trade Monthly Report for the first half of 2026, the country's export value exceeded $60 billion for the first time in a half-year period, reaching $60.354 billion, a 14.2% increase compared to the same period in 2025. The report was prepared by the Research Department of the Undersecretariat of International Economic Relations (Dirección de Estudios de la Subsecretaría de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales) based on data from the Central Bank of Chile (Banco Central de Chile) and the National Customs Service (Servicio Nacional de Aduanas). Total trade volume for the first half reached $106.498 billion, up 9.6% year-on-year. Monthly exports in June also set a record, reaching $10.789 billion, a 25.1% increase year-on-year.
Mining exports contributed 61.1% to total exports, amounting to $36.888 billion, a 20.4% increase year-on-year. Among these, copper exports totaled $30.236 billion, up 11.5% year-on-year, accounting for 50.1% of the country's total exports. Lithium exports accumulated to $3.218 billion, nearly triple the figure for the same period last year, and in just six months exceeded the total exports for the full year 2025 by 34.4%. The average price of copper in the first half was $5.94 per pound, while lithium was driven by demand from grid expansion, energy storage, and technological development.
Non-mining exports totaled $23.466 billion, a 5.6% increase year-on-year. Food industry exports hit a record high of $7.121 billion, up 4.2% year-on-year, mainly driven by increased exports of salmon and trout, frozen fruits, canned mussels, and beef and lamb. Machinery and equipment exports grew by 17.6%, while wine exports fell by 8.9% and the forestry sector declined by 12%.
Service exports have been growing since 2023, reaching $1.843 billion, a 17.2% increase year-on-year. Key areas include aircraft maintenance and repair, website hosting, marketing consulting, and computer and informatics technical support.
A total of 6,893 companies engaged in export activities in the first half, a 3.3% increase year-on-year, of which 2,835 were large enterprises and 2,636 were small and medium-sized enterprises. Together, these companies generated over 1 million jobs.
By destination, 96.17% of goods exports went to economies with which Chile maintains effective trade agreements. China remained the main market, accounting for 33.9%, followed by the United States (16.7%), Japan (8.3%), and South Korea (3.9%). India stood out as the fastest-growing destination for Chilean exports, with export value reaching $2.871 billion, a 109% increase compared to the same period in 2025, mainly driven by increased exports of copper, gold, iodine, fresh apples, nuts, seeds, oats, and lithium hydroxide and carbonate. Other destinations with significant increases include Switzerland (+$749 million), Canada (+$461 million), and Bulgaria (+$306 million).
Undersecretary of International Economic Relations Paula Estévez stated that this result reflects a solid foreign trade policy based on 36 trade agreements, which allow Chile to access markets representing 89% of global GDP. She noted that in a challenging international economic environment, exports exceeding $60 billion for the first time in the first half is good news for Chile. This record reflects the strength of export products and confirms that efforts to open, diversify, and deepen markets are expanding opportunities for exporters. She indicated that advancing the final stages of negotiations for a trade agreement with India has become a priority.
