Argentine wheat exporters are facing a loss of competitiveness in the global market due to strict Chinese phytosanitary requirements. This implies a potential loss of US$20 per ton for Argentine exporters. If applied to 8 million tons, the loss would amount to US$160 million.
Despite this, China has resumed imports of Argentine wheat after a 15-year hiatus. The first shipment of 107,000 tons of wheat, owned by Cargill, was sent by the Chinese company COFCO (formerly known as Dreyfus) from the ports of Timbúes and Bahía Blanca. This is the first major consignment of Argentine wheat to be sent to China.
China imposes strict phytosanitary requirements for wheat, including precise limits for post-harvest agrochemicals, and does not accept the presence of transgenics. However, due to its good yields and quality, Argentine wheat with a FOB price of US$209 per ton is becoming highly competitive in a tightening global market.
Although China is the world's largest wheat producer, it needs to supplement its domestic supply and purchases an average of 6 to 10 million tons per season, with peaks close to 13 million in recent years. Its main suppliers are Australia, Canada, France, and the United States.
In a global context, there is a wheat surplus, driven by good harvests in the European Union and Russia, which caused the international price to fall to US$160 per ton in November 2025. The FOB price of Argentine wheat remains at US$180 per ton.
