Argentina to send first corn shipment to China since 2023

Argentina, one of the world’s leading grain suppliers, will send its first corn shipment to China next month since Beijing approved imports in 2023, according to data from the local shipping agency NABSA, as reported by Reuters on Tuesday.

The Association of Argentine Cooperatives (ACA), a major grain production and export organization, is set to ship 24,718 metric tons of corn to China from one of its terminals in the port area of Quequen. This marks the first export of Argentine corn to China since Beijing authorized such imports in 2023, based on data from the national statistics agency.

“The start of corn shipments to China is a milestone in our commercial strategy with that country,” Gustavo Idigoras, president of the CIARA-CEC exporters’ chamber, told Reuters. He highlighted that Argentina is the third-largest global supplier of corn, and now Chinese buyers will have the opportunity to discover Argentine corn and begin purchasing it in large quantities.

The shipment is scheduled to depart on August 15 aboard the CANADA EXPRESS vessel, according to NABSA data. Last year, China also approved the import of two varieties of genetically modified (GMO) corn grown in Argentina, though government data indicates that no GMO corn has yet been exported to China.

The ACA has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for comment. This development is expected to strengthen trade ties between Argentina and China, opening new opportunities for Argentine farmers and exporters in one of the world’s largest markets.

Tags: corn, Argentina, China