SANTIAGO, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- China ranked as the leading export market for Chile's agroforestry products in 2018, surpassing the United States for the first time, according to a government agency report released on Tuesday.

The report by Chile's Agricultural Studies and Policies Bureau (ODEPA) shows China accounted for 20.8 percent of total exports in the field while the United States came in the second place, receiving 17 percent of last year's exports.

"After four years, agricultural and forestry exports saw significant growth in 2018," said ODEPA's director Maria Emilia Undurraga.

In 2018, Chile's agroforestry exports witnessed a 17-percent year-on-year growth, which brought in 11.162 billion U.S. dollars to the Latin American country.

The sector registered an increase in wine exports, as well as grapes, cherries, apples, cranberries and frozen pork, among other goods.