CHILE: Sales up at Don Pollo meat and egg producer

Chile's Don Pollo, a processor of chicken (70%), eggs (15%), and pork (15%), expects to achieve sales of US$26m this year. This gives it a 6.1% market share for processed chicken. That share should increase in 2001 as new facilities come on line. During the first nine months of this year, sales and production were both up 2% from the level one year earlier. Growth in demand will be driven by domestic economic expansion which is projected to be in the range of 5.7% in 2001, and firm export sales. The company invested US$5m in upgrading production facilities over the past four years and is investing another US$1m this year. Through September, chicken exports to Peru were valued at US$500m, and US$1m worth of pork was exported, mainly to Japan.