Regional development and export challenges in Chile

In the Los Lagos region, efforts are underway to integrate small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into international trade. While the salmon and seafood industries currently lead regional exports, authorities are seeking to diversify the economy by including smaller producers. Recent successes include organic honey producers, a distillery from Frutillar, and peony growers from Osorno reaching markets in Japan, Brazil, the Netherlands, and the United States.

In the O’Higgins region, discussions at the ‘Esto es O’Higgins’ seminar highlighted concerns regarding the concentration of resources and power in Santiago. According to a Cadem opinion study, 61% of O’Higgins residents view this centralization as a problem. Leaders from the public sector, academia, and major companies like Codelco and Agrosuper emphasized the need for a regional agenda focused on infrastructure, productive vocation, and improved quality of life to ensure local development remains a choice rather than a necessity.