The Forestry Institute (INFOR) initiated the VIII National Census of the Primary Forestry Industry during the first quarter of 2026, with the goal of strengthening official statistics and reflecting the structural changes that have occurred in the Chilean forestry industry over the last decade.
This process is fundamental for the planning and development of the sector, as well as for the creation of effective public policies.
The Minister of Agriculture, María Ignacia Fernández, highlighted the relevance of this work, stating that "having updated and quality information about the primary forestry industry is essential to promote sustainable development of the sector, strengthen regional competitiveness, and properly guide public decisions."
The data collection involves on-site visits to establishments such as sawmills, chipping plants, board and veneer industries, and post and pole plants. The objective is to characterize their productive magnitude, technological structure, and territorial distribution. This effort will allow for updating the information gathered in the last census conducted in 2016.
Marta González, acting executive director of INFOR, emphasized the national scope and methodological rigor of the process, which will enable the availability of homogeneous and comparable information over time. "It is a large-scale technical effort that reinforces the transparency and knowledge of the forestry sector," stated González.
INFOR's technical teams will carry out the fieldwork between January and March 2026, covering the regions from Coquimbo to Magallanes. The collected information will be treated with strict statistical confidentiality criteria, and only aggregated results will be published.
Carlos Kahler, coordinator of the Information and Forest Economics Area at INFOR, explained that the census is a key piece for understanding the sector's dynamics and building a complete sample base of the primary forestry industry. "We can estimate production levels, wood flows, and sector evolution, providing solid information for public and private planning," indicated Kahler.
As part of the process preparation, INFOR has developed training instances for the field teams, ensuring the correct application of the methodology and data quality. The results of the VIII Census, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture with support from CORFO and the IDB, will feed into technical publications such as the Forestry Yearbook and contribute to informed decision-making and the sustainable development of the industry at the national level.
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