UK pork is to be exported to Chile for the first time.

The new deal is estimated to be worth £20million over the first five years.

Authorities have today (March 17) given the green light to 27 pork processing sites from across the UK to start commercial exports.

The UK has an association agreement with Chile, which largely maintains prior preferential trading arrangements and rules of origin.

This means that UK pork exporters can benefit from the import tariff under the Most Favoured Nation tariff of six per cent, subject to certain conditions.

Mexico opened its doors to British pork last September, in a deal estimated to be worth £50million over the first five years of trade.

AHDB international market development director Dr Phil Hadley said: “Opening the market for UK pork to Chile, following gaining access to Mexico, will provide our pig farmers and processors with another valuable market to sell their products, providing a much-needed boost for the sector in difficult times.”

Pork is the second most consumed meat in Chile but production within the country remained stagnant last year, with imports rising year after year for the last decade due to increased demand.

Farming minister Victoria Prentis said: “The pig sector is facing a range of challenges and we must make use of all levers available to us.

"That includes new export markets, and it is great to see the Chilean market open its doors to our pig producers.

“This will be worth £20million over the next five years and will build on other measures we have introduced to bolster the industry.”