Argentina Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in argentina, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Agricultural Sectors
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Agricultural Equipment 

Argentina’s agricultural sector boasts a robust local manufacturing industry for farm machinery and inputs, comprising approximately 730 companies. This industry, one of the country’s earliest to develop, meets about 80 percent of domestic demand. Local content requirements have fostered growth in parts and components production, with multinationals now incorporating over 50 percent local components in their equipment. 

Domestic production excels in seeders, sprayers, and tools. However, the sector faces challenges including export taxes on agricultural products, export quotas on certain items, and economic instability. High inflation, increased input costs, foreign exchange controls, and COVID-19 impacts have dampened investment in agricultural machinery. These challenges have led to a complex operating environment for both local manufacturers and international companies seeking to enter the market. 

The government’s National Promotion of Investment and Agricultural Exports plan aims to boost export volumes by 35 percent over a decade, potentially creating opportunities for U.S. exporters as local producers seek innovative solutions. This initiative could open doors for advanced technologies and equipment that enhance productivity and sustainability in Argentine agriculture. However, success will depend on the government’s ability to address the underlying economic challenges and create a more stable business environment. 

Sub-Sector Best Prospects

  • AgTech and BioTech: The focus is on production traceability and environmentally friendly practices.
  • Irrigation Equipment: Market growth is due to increased row crop farming, with government plans to expand irrigated areas by 28 percent.
  • Parts and Components: Representing 12 percent of the total market, opportunities will grown in precision agriculture and electronic components.

Opportunities

Opportunities exist for cost-saving and best-practice products, quality-improving technologies, and IT services for agriculture. Innovative machinery, such as cleaner engines, also shows promise. U.S. firms can explore distribution agreements, joint ventures, or licensing, but should be cautious about protecting intellectual property when partnering locally. 

Resources 

The best way to familiarize a potential local partner or buyer with a U.S. company’s product line is to exhibit in local trade shows, the largest one being Expoagro. Advertising of specific products, parts, and equipment is normally done through web-based specialized publications: 

  • Revista Chacra (Spanish)
  • Nuestro Agro (Spanish)
  • Specialized Local Newspapers: La Nacion (Campo section), Clarin (Campo section), El Cronista (Comercial, Agro section). 

For additional information on this industry, including market analysis, trade events, contacts, and the products and services that the U.S. Commercial Service can provide to help you succeed in the Argentine market, please contact our Agribusiness Industry Specialist Elizabet Simon.

Animal Genetics, Food Ingredients, Planting Seeds

Animal Genetics (Bovine Semen)

Overview 

Argentine cattle producers continue to incorporate high-quality genetics to improve dairy and beef production. The use of semen is predominant, while the use of embryos is significantly smaller. Of the total, roughly 60 percent is utilized by the beef cattle industry and the balance 40 percent by the dairy sector. Imported genetics account for approximately 45 percent of the total. The use of cattle semen continues to grow year after year, with an optimistic outlook for 2025. The United States supplies almost two-thirds of the total imported semen, with export projections of $12-14 million for 2025, representing close to 2.7 million doses. Importers also see growing opportunities for imported cattle embryos, a market of 500-1,000 units in 2025, for a value of $250,000. Roughly 80 percent of the total imported genetics will be for the dairy sector. There are four consolidated local importers and distributors representing U.S. cattle genetics centers. Some cattle genetics are also imported from Canada and New Zealand.  

Beef cattle genetics: Approximately 15-20 percent of the 21 million beef cows and heifers are artificially inseminated (AI). The total number of semen doses used is approximately 5 million of which only 10 percent is imported. Of the latter, Black Angus accounts for the greatest number of doses, followed at a distance by Red Angus, Hereford and Brangus.

Dairy cattle genetics: Roughly 70 percent of the 1.5 million cows and heifers are AI, with 90 percent of imported semen which is widely dominated by Holsteins. Most embryos are also Holstein.

Sub-Sector Best Prospects

Demand for both dairy (primarily Holstein) and beef (primarily Black Angus) genetics are expected to increase in 2025.

Opportunities

The use of expected progeny differences (EPD) production data in beef genetics is growing, with local animal genetics distributors indicating that educational outreach with local commercial breeders is critical to supporting additional demand. While breeds, such as Holstein and Angus (Black and Red) remain popular, the geographical and climatic diversity within Argentina means that characteristics from other breeds, such as Braford, Brangus, and Hereford also present sales opportunities.

Resources                                                                          


Food Ingredients (Natural Origin)

Overview

The food and beverage (F&B) industry is a key sector of the Argentine economy, accounting in 2024 for about 60 percent of Argentina’s total exports. Despite Argentina’s overall strength in the production of primary products and commodities, there are opportunities for U.S. F&B exports, especially for consumer products and for U.S. food ingredients used for further processing into high-value, specialty food products. Emerging trends of interest include: 
1) an increasing focus on “health and nutrition” in the retail and institutional sectors, and 
2) greater understanding of the importance of innovation and innovative products that offer busy consumers a measure of convenience.

Despite some temporary disruptions due to COVID-19 outbreaks in food processing facilities, the supply chain has not experienced significant shortages or interruptions. Nevertheless, the sector has experienced major shifts in demand patterns from food-away-from-home to more at-home preparation.  

Sub-Sector Best Prospects

Sub-sector best prospects include: cocoa powder; dried fruits and nuts; dextrin; peptones; whey; dried vegetables; spices; potato flakes, granules, and pellets; wheat starch; corn starch; potato starch; licorice extracts; herbs; extracts of vegetables, meat, and fish; pectic substances; agar; glycerol; glucose; fructose; molasses; coffee and tea extracts; yeasts; soy sauce; protein concentrates and textured protein substances; gelatin; non-dairy coffee whiteners; cream and milk substitutes; sugar substitutes; essential oils; casein; albumins; peptones; glues; ingredients for functional foods and for the beverage industry; nutraceuticals; and algae omega.

Opportunities

U.S. food ingredients are valued as high-quality and safe products. The best opportunities are for ingredients that are not produced locally, or where local production is of low-quality, or for specialty food ingredients used by local food companies for manufacturing complex food items. Strong import performance in 2024 was seen for waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters (sweetened or flavored), malt extract, fermented beverages, caseinates and protein concentrates, dextrin, tree nuts (almonds), essential oils and chocolate & cocoa products.

Resources

Institute of Food Technologists - IFT (English)
National Association of Flavors and Food-Ingredient Systems - NAFFS (English)
 

Planting Seeds

Overview

Planting seeds are one of the most important U.S. agricultural products imported into Argentina, totaling $13.9 million in 2023. 

Sub-Sector Best Prospects

Alfalfa continues to be the primary seed imported from the United States, followed by yellow corn, clover, rye grass, and fescue. Likewise, seeds from vegetable crops and for lawn grass remain in demand.

Opportunities

Due to Argentina’s position in the Southern Hemisphere, off-season (or counter-seasonal) production of corn and soybean seed has generated positive returns in the last few years. Argentina’s total exports of planting seeds for 2023 totaled $30.3 million, while the country’s total exports of planting seeds for 2022 totaled $22 million. Continued expansion of beef and dairy production outside of traditional production areas is expected to support demand for quality forage seeds linked to demand for grasses suitable for sub-tropical regions in the northern part of the country. 

Despite Argentina’s embrace of genetic engineering and gene-editing technologies, Argentina’s seed law allows for the saving of seed and does not provide a legal payment mechanism to compensate the holders of intellectual property rights of genetically engineered seeds, presenting a challenge for U.S. companies operating in the Argentine seed market.

Resources