“This milestone is just the beginning.” With this sentence, Alfonso Romero, CEO of COFCO, the group of Chinese origin, which is one of the world giants in the grain trade, He described to LA NACION what it means for the company to load the first ship with Argentine wheat for China today from the port of Timbúes in Santa Fe. The news was expected from this medium last week.
Various authorities were present to witness the loading of MV Shandong Fu Yi, including: Wang Wei, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Argentina; Maximiliano Pullaro, Governor of Santa Fe; Gustavo Puccini, Provincial Minister for Productive Development and Antonio Fiorenza, Mayor of Timbúes. Also Wei Dong, CEO of COFCO International; Sunbao, Chairman of COFCO Trading and the aforementioned Romero. The President Javier Milei It was said that he sent his congratulations through his office.
Since January last year, as reported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Argentina has been in the race to sell this grain to China, a country that is not only the world’s largest wheat producer but is also growing in grain imports. Under this framework, the country gained the opportunity to export as soon as the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) included Argentine companies in “the online quarantine registration system for establishments authorized to export vegetables, animals and their products to China.”
According to Romero, the ship’s cargo, estimated at 65,000 tons, will be transported between the port of Timbúes and the Quequén terminal in southeast Buenos Aires, where it will be completed. It came from producers and various local suppliers of COFCO International.
“The departure of this first ship opens a new and very impactful route for our country. At COFCO we see this as a great opportunity to promote the development of agricultural activity in Argentina.” “It moves the entire production chain and generates activities in seedbed, service providers, fertilizers and crop protection, production, storage, transporters, ports, value addition and Argentine labor,” he said.
The local executive pointed out that this operation “also marks a before and after.” And explains: “On the one hand, it is the result of years of public-private work, on the other hand, it is the starting point for volume growth and deepening trade. It generates more exports, more work and foreign exchange for the country.”
This milestone of arrival in China is known in connection with a harvest classified as record. According to the Rosario Stock Exchange (BCR), Grain production will reach 27.7 million tons in this campaign, an increase of 37.8%. Last year the harvest was 20.1 million tons. Meanwhile, the grain will leave the country with income of $3.6 billion, about $660 million more compared to the last cycle.
This important state-level wheat production is based on the high yields recorded in most major agricultural regions. The crop received abundant rain and temperatures for much of the cycle. In this context, it should be recalled that the Minister of Economic Affairs, Luis Caputo, announced a reduction in rural tax withholdings, which reduced the tax rate for grain from 9.5% to 7.5%.
“As COFCO, we are working to enable the Plant Protection Protocol to help open up this market for the benefit of both countries.” Romero pointed out THE NATION.
Asked what possibilities exist that more operations could be carried out with wheat China, replied: “We believe this milestone is just the beginning. Argentina has the health and quality necessary to be a stable supplier. If the manufacturer continues to receive incentives to increase production, this first ship will be one of many.”
For the company’s CEO, Argentine wheat is recognized by customers around the world. He added that “the relative distance to other exporters requires greater effort, as is the case with other destinations.” In this regard, he said that deepening the waterway “along with other improvements such as land roads and access to ports will be crucial in bringing Argentina closer to the world.”
Regarding China’s movement as a buyer, he pointed out that demand is growing: the country rose from 2-3 million tons to a level of almost 6 million tons this season. “And we have already seen peaks above 10 million in 2023/24,” he recalled.
He pointed out that they “aim for value for money and focus on baking wheat that is blended with local production to make flour.” And he remarked: “It is important to ensure regulatory and production stability to provide long-term predictability as a reliable source.”
According to a report from the Rosario Stock Exchange, COFCO was the third largest agricultural exporter in the first half of 2025 after Cargill and Viterra. The Chinese company’s arrival in the country occurred in 2014 with the purchase of 51% of Nidera’s grain business, a stake that was later expanded to 100%. He also retained Noble, another historic player. COFCO employs 1,400 people nationwide.
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