Argentina could post a record-breaking corn harvest in the 2025/26 season as growers increasingly move away from soybeans, according to the Rosario Grains Exchange.
Rosario projected Argentina’s next corn crop at 61 million metric tons, provided normal rainfall persists during the growing season. This would surpass the previous record of 52.5 million tons achieved in 2023/24. Planting for the new crop has already begun, supported by favorable weather models that suggest low chances of El Niño or La Niña disruptions during the southern summer.
In contrast, soybean planting is expected to shrink by 7% year-on-year to 16.4 million hectares, with production projected at 47 million tons. The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange gave a similar outlook, though with a smaller decline of 4.3% to 17.6 million hectares, citing low or negative profitability in some regions and competition from alternative crops like corn and sunflower.
The Rosario exchange also raised its estimate for Argentina’s nearly completed 2024/25 corn harvest to 50 million tons, up from 48.5 million last month. The shift underscores a growing trend among Argentine farmers to favor corn over soybeans, as corn profitability and export prospects improve.
Argentina ranks as the world’s third-largest corn exporter and the leading global supplier of soybean oil and meal. The outlook for a record corn crop signals stronger competition in global grain markets, while tightening soybean acreage could weigh on supplies in the year ahead.
