Almost 80% of what Argentina exports to China is agro-industrial products, with soybeans and beef accounting for 65% of the total between 2020 and 2023. More than 12% of Argentina’s agro-industrial exports depend on the Chinese market, but for products such as soybeans, meat or sorghum their share exceeds 80-90%.
According to the Argentina-China Chamber of Production, Industry and Trade, the country could increase its exports to the Asian giant by up to $3 billion a year if the bilateral agenda moves forward. “The Chinese market is a transcendental market,” said Gustavo Idígoras, president of the Chamber of the Oil Industry of the Argentine Republic (CIARA) and the Cereal Export Center (CEC), at an event organized by the organization. He emphasized that the country demands stricter standards: “Complete traceability from the batch to the port must be guaranteed and shared.”
The peanut sector, which exported $1.2 billion in 2024, could reach $1.5 billion if tariffs are reduced or deals advance, according to the company. Pea sales are $30-40 million, but the potential is $200 million.
“Argentina can and must grow in China,” said Carla Martin Bonito, president of COPAL. He emphasized the importance of further expanding the presence of national foods in a strategic destination.
In this sense, Javier Lozada, president of the Argentine-Chinese Chamber, noted that “more export means more production, more activity, more movement, more work.”
Manuel Chiappe, the country’s undersecretary for agricultural and forestry production, explained: “Argentina and China can produce seeds in the off-season. This allows us to have materials available a season earlier and is a fundamental tool.”
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