Argentina: Balance of grain trade in the first half of the year

The total volume of grains traded in Argentina in the first half of 2023 was the second lowest, according to SIO Grains data starting in 2017, at just 51.4 million tons (Mt), including soybeans, corn, wheat, sunflower, sorghum, and barley. This value constitutes the lowest figure for the first half of the year on records, dating back to 2017.

Practically every month of 2023 has seen the lowest commercialization of soybeans in the last five years. The only exception is May, which, in view of the Export Increase Program, reached the eighth-highest monthly volume traded, and this is exclusively due to the effect of the export increase program in that month.

Table 1. Contracts and final purchases per half year in the local market (t)

Year	First or second half of the year	Soybeans
2017	1st	32 886 296
	2nd	28 160 163
2018	1st	25 611 783
	2nd	17 382 384
2019	1st	37 975 330
	2nd	43 162 109
2020	1st	23 151 911
	2nd	23 064 312
2021	1st	30 195 164
	2nd	24 051 220
2022	1st	27 294 905
	2nd	30 633 705
2023	1st	18 089 245

Source: Rosario Stock Exchange based on SIO Granos.