Paraguay starts supplying sunflower oil to new Asian markets

Paraguay is expanding the geography of its agricultural exports and entering new Asian markets with sunflower oil. In January-July 2026, the country began supplying sunflower oil to Malaysia and Nepal, according to export and investment promotion agency Rediex.

Overall, 75 Paraguayan products reached 43 new markets during the first seven months of the year. Eight products were exported to international markets for the first time. Rediex considers a destination new only if exports exceeded $50,000 in 2026, while shipments of the same product to that country did not exceed this threshold between 2019 and 2025.

Nepal became one of the notable new destinations, with Paraguay starting exports of sunflower oil, mung beans and cotton fiber. Malaysia also emerged as a new buyer of Paraguayan sunflower oil.

The largest of the new export flows by value was biodiesel shipments to Singapore, worth $5 mln. This indicates that Paraguay is expanding its presence in Asia not only with agricultural commodities but also with processed products.

For landlocked Paraguay, entering markets in South and Southeast Asia represents a significant expansion of its trade geography. The government views the diversification of products and export destinations as a way to reduce the country’s dependence on a limited number of traditional buyers and key commodities.

Tags: sunflower oil, Malaysia, biodiesel, Paraguay, Nepal, Asia