The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has expanded opportunities for Chilean exports. In the poultry sector, Canada has become a strategic market, driving sustained growth in chicken meat shipments and positioning Chile as the leading supplier within the preferential quota established by the agreement.
Three years after the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) came into effect for Chile, the national poultry sector boasts one of the most successful examples of leveraging this trade agreement. Preferential access to the Canadian market has allowed Chilean chicken meat to experience sustained growth, making Canada one of its most important export destinations.
The CPTPP is one of the world’s most important trade agreements and currently includes 12 Pacific Rim economies. Its objective is to promote economic integration, facilitate trade, and create more modern and predictable rules for the exchange of goods and services. For Chile, the agreement has strengthened its access to markets with which it already had bilateral agreements, creating new opportunities for export sectors such as agribusiness, including poultry and pork.
According to the analysis “Three Years After the CPTPP Entered into Force for Chile,” published by the Undersecretariat of International Economic Relations (SUBREI) in March 2026, the agreement has generated concrete opportunities for various productive and export sectors. The report highlights progress in markets such as Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom, including the growth of pork exports to Japan and the consolidation of Chilean chicken exports in Canada. Among these results, one of the most notable cases is the poultry sector, which has managed to consolidate its presence in Canada thanks to the access advantages provided by the treaty.
According to figures from SUBREI, during 2025 Chile used 96% of the chicken meat import quota allocated by Canada to CPTPP member countries, generating returns exceeding US$54 million and positioning itself as the main supplier within this tariff quota.
According to Juan Carlos Domínguez, CEO of ChileCarne, these results reflect the work that the production chain has developed over the years to access and consolidate itself in high-value markets.
“The entry into force of the CPTPP has meant a concrete opportunity for the sector. Today we see how a market as relevant and demanding as Canada has become a strategic destination for our chicken meat, thanks to the combination of better access conditions, high production standards and Chile’s ongoing work to strengthen its international competitiveness.”
A market that opened up new opportunities
Before the agreement came into effect, Chilean chicken exports to Canada were marginal. The preferential quota established under the CPTPP allowed Chilean companies to begin developing this market strongly and sustainably. Thanks to the agreement, Chilean chicken exports enter Canada with a 0% tariff within the quota allocated to member countries, significantly improving their competitiveness against other international suppliers. In addition, there is a zoning protocol for avian influenza between the two countries, a tool that safeguards the continuity of trade in the event of outbreaks, providing greater certainty and stability for exporters.
The preferential quota established under the CPTPP allowed domestic companies to begin developing this market strongly and sustainably.
The results soon became apparent. In 2023, exports reached US$15.4 million; in 2024, they climbed to US$28.6 million; and in 2025, they exceeded US$54 million. In terms of volume, shipments surpassed 22,600 tons during the last year.
Chile’s performance has also been highlighted internationally. A report by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the United States Department of Agriculture identified Chile as the country that has best capitalized on the market access opportunities created by the CPTPP for chicken meat in Canada, surpassing even traditional suppliers such as Brazil and Thailand.
For Domínguez, these results also reflect the importance of having sanitary conditions that provide stability to international trade.
“Open markets are essential, but so is having high sanitary standards and tools that provide certainty to trading partners. That has contributed to the growth we have seen in Canada.”
Three years after the Trans-Pacific Partnership came into effect, the case of Chilean chicken in Canada has become one of the most concrete examples of how trade liberalization can translate into new opportunities for the agri-food sector. The sustained growth of exports, the near-total utilization of the available quota, and the position Chile has achieved in this market demonstrate the potential of the poultry industry to continue strengthening its international presence and contributing to the country’s export development.
