CHILE – Chile’s particleboard / MDP exports fell sharply in 2019 to USD 70.9 million, a decrease of 18.2 percent compared to USD 86.6 million achieved in 2018.

The 2019 register was also below the figure reached in 2017, when Chile exported particleboard for USD 72.4 million.

This drop in Chile’s particleboard / MDP exports was presented in its four main markets: Peru, Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador.

Exports to Peru – the main external market for Chile’s particleboard /MDP – fell the hardest. Shipments to Peru totaled USD 23.7 million in 2019, a 22.5 percent contraction from USD 30.6 million reached the previous year. It is important to note that the Peruvian market in 2019 reduced its total imports of particleboard by 2.18 percent.

Chile’s particleboard / MDP sales to Mexico, its second largest foreign market, totaled USD 22.6 million in 2019. This represents an 18.4 percent reduction in exports from the USD 27.7 million of 2018.

Colombia, the third external market for Chilean particleboard / MDP, also reduced its purchases to Chile. Chilean particleboard shipments to Colombia reached USD 11.9 million in 2019, a decrease of 8.9 percent compared to USD 13.1 million in 2018.

Ecuador, the fourth largest market for Chilean particleboard, also presented a steep decline. With USD 4.5 million in 2019, Ecuador reduced MDP’s purchases from Chile by 22 percent (2018: USD 5.8 million).