Bolivia sends first chia shipment to China

These sales are tariff-free, unlike those to the US, Arce noted

Bolivia last week started exporting chia to China with a landmark 25-ton shipment from Agropecuaria Chía Corp Bolivia S.A. in Santa Cruz, after six years of negotiations resulted in an understanding in November 2024, which opened the vast Asian market.

Chia is valued for its omega-3 and nutritional benefits. This export to China is tariffs-free, unlike sales to the United States, which pay 10% following President Donald Trump’s crackdown on foreign trade.

This new exchange with China is expected to reach 50,000 tons annually, generating over US$ 100 million in four years, it was explained.

This milestone, supported by public-private collaboration, also includes sorghum exports and strengthens Bolivia’s trade ties with China, aligning with its BRICS-oriented foreign policy.

The initiative is projected to boost employment, investment, and benefit over 1,000 farmers, with plans to cultivate 50,000 hectares by 2026.

Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora saw off the first shipment from the industrial park in the municipality of Warnes, in the department of Santa Cruz, at Agropecuaria Chía Corp Bolivia S.A. facilities.

“In a historic and very important milestone for Bolivia, today we sent the first container of Bolivian chia seeds directly to China, thus consolidating the opening of a new market with enormous potential for Bolivian products,” Arce stressed.

“The United States imposed tariffs of 10 percent, but now we have access to a market where no barriers have been set,” he added. This step represents not only a commercial opportunity but also a geopolitical redefinition. Latin America will no longer be the backyard of the United States, Arce argued.

In addition, Chinese authorities confirmed they greenlighted the arrival of Bolivian sorghum, expanding opportunities for the agricultural sector. “There is a very clear foreign policy of the national government to orient towards the BRICS. This is an achievement that other countries in the region have not yet been able to achieve,” Arce insisted.

“We are pleased to strengthen our trade relations with Bolivia, a reliable and strategic partner,” China’s Ambassador in Bolivia, Wang Liang said while ratifying the strengthening of bilateral trade with products such as sesame and other Bolivian crops.

“The projected economic impact is significant: it is estimated that, in the next four years, chia exports to the People’s Republic of China will exceed $100 million. Producers have set the goal of reaching 50,000 tons per year through an aggressive strategy of international promotion, boosting the growth of the agricultural production sector,” a report from Bolivia’s Foreign Ministry stated.