CIIA Press release

After the 27- February 28th, 2010 earthquakes in Chile

The Executive committee of the International commission for Agricultural & Food Industries (abridged CIIA in French) received M. Jaime Chomali, chargé d’affaires from Chile in Paris. It examined with him the food companies possible actions for, beyond emergency aid, cooperating most effectively possible with a durable rebuilding of the Chilean sector.

Like some other countries located on zones of intense seismic tensions, frequent earthquakes shake Chile and it is the 3rd time in one half-century which the country undergoes a seism of major intensity. It was organized to face there (adapted rules of town planning, installation of an urgency national organization near the Ministry of Interior, communication on the procedures to be followed, periodic evacuation exercises of schools and public edifices…). The compliance with these preventive rules made it possible to limit the number of the victims in spite of the force of the seism (magnitude of 8,8 with a counterpart of 7,2) which struck the area of Concepción. One counted only 497 died for 2 million disaster victims.

Nevertheless, the damage is very important and accounts for 15% of the gross domestic product of the country! The infrastructure (roads, bridges, ports, hospital, factories, networks ) was struck hard, without counting the 500.000 destroyed or damaged buildings. The rebuilding will take three to four years and the new President of the Republic, elected ten days before the catastrophe, already decided to change his priorities. As of its nomination, he announced the development of a plan called “Raise Chile”.

The priority is today to restore the road and harbour infrastructures as well as the equipment of logistics, in particular refrigerating, since 80% of Chilean exports of wine, fruit and vegetables, products of the sea… forward by boats. The reflection on the forecast and the prevention of the risks will have to also be thorough.

In practice, the most effective assistance which can be brought by the companies - especially by those which boast to have an ethical and sustainable management is to continue, to even reinforce their economic activities with their Chilean partners. It is also the interest of every on in long-term.

With the companies which there do not have yet partnership in Chile and who want to discover the business opportunities there, the CIIA suggests taking part in the Forum organized by the Chilean Agency of Economic development CORFO in Santiago from June 7th to 11th. Visits on the field, focused on fruit and wine sectors, will make it possible to appreciate the situation and some examples of successful investments. For that, on behalf of the CIIA (secretaire.general@ciia-c.com) and with making him copy, to contact the delegates of CORFO in Santiago:

Pablo Ugarte < pugarte@corfo.cl > or Carolina Terc Telias < cterc@corfo.cl >

In Spain Tomá < tomas.pablo@wolfypablo.com >