The national government announced a new reduction in export duties on the main grain chains, a decision that consolidates President Javier Milei's economic orientation and seeks to alleviate the tax burden on the agro-industrial sector. Minister of Economy Luis Caputo formally presented the measure, which involves a permanent reduction in rates for soybeans, wheat, corn, barley, sunflower, and sorghum. This move garnered immediate support from agricultural associations and export chambers. According to the minister, the soybean tax will decrease from 26% to 24%, while for soybean complex by-products, it will drop from 24.5% to 22.5%. Caputo also reiterated that 'fewer taxes mean more investment, more employment, and more exports'. The Argentine Agribusiness Council celebrated the 'signal of fiscal relief' and emphasized the importance of maintaining policies that boost the sector's global competitiveness. The announcement comes at a time of high anticipation within the agro-export chain, which in recent weeks had intensified its calls for regulatory predictability and lower duties. Simultaneously, the measure aims to strengthen the inflow of foreign currency in a year that the government considers essential to maintaining the trade surplus as a pillar of its economic program. In this sense, the minister stated that the tax cut 'aims to improve the sector's competitiveness, encourage production, and strengthen the inflow of foreign currency', critical factors for economic recovery. The decision also seeks to address the demands raised by various entities in recent meetings with national officials, who had warned of the need for greater certainty for investments in the 2025/26 agricultural cycle. Caputo emphasized that this is a 'permanent' change, consistent with the official goal of a total elimination of export duties when macroeconomic equilibrium allows. The minister highlighted that agribusiness constitutes 'one of the most powerful engines of the Argentine economy', responsible for about 60% of national exports. From the Argentine Rural Society, its vice president Marcos Pereda Born considered the reduction to be 'an important step to restore the field's power', noting that lower taxes 'translate into more investment, employment, and exports'.
