Agriculture in Chile
Agriculture in Chile encompasses a wide range of different activities due to the country's particular geography, climate, geology and human factors. Historically, agriculture has been one of the bases of Chile's economy; in 2007, it and allied sectors, like forestry, logging, and fishing, accounted for only 4.9% of the GDP and 13.6% of the country's labor force. Major agricultural products include grapes, apples, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool, fish and timber.
Due to its geographical isolation and strict customs policies, Chile is free from mad cow disease and diseases brought by Drosophilidae and Phylloxera; this, its different harvest season compared to countries in the Northern Hemisphere, and its wide range of agricultural conditions are considered its main comparative advantages. However, the mountainous landscape limits the extent and intensity of agriculture. Only 2.62% of the country's territory is arable land.
Chile's principal growing region and agricultural heartland is the Central Valley, bounded by the Chilean Coast Range to the west, the Andes to the east, Aconcagua River to the north, and Bío-Bío River to the south. In the northern half of Chile, cultivation is highly dependent on irrigation. South of the Central Valley, cultivation has gradually been replaced by aquaculture, silviculture, sheep and cattle farming.