Argentina’s wheat harvest is smashing records this season, with two major grain exchanges raising their forecasts again. The Rosario Grain Exchange now expects Argentine 2025/26 wheat production to reach 27.7 million mt, well above last week’s estimate of 25.5 million mt from the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange (BAGE). BAGE has also moved its Argentine wheat forecast up to 27.1 million mt and states there could be more upward revisions as harvesting continues. Harvesting has advanced quickly, jumping over 13 percentage points in a week to 73.3% complete. This bumper crop is creating logistical challenges and pushing wheat prices lower.
An industry contact described the situation, saying, “The Argentine wheat harvest is so large that it has triggered a real rush to get grain moving to export points. The sheer volume is putting pressure on logistics, with farmers eager to clear stocks and make space. As a result, truck deliveries to the river shipping hub in Rosario surged to an all-time high in November, reaching nearly 2 million mt. That figure is roughly twice the volumes typically seen in recent years, underlining just how intense the flow of grain has become.”
As a result, Argentine FOB prices for January delivery are trading around $206-$209/mt, making them more affordable than supplies from rivals such as Russia, France and the US. That has sparked fresh demand from international buyers.
Market sources indicate that Cofco International, China’s state-owned agricultural giant, bought about 65,000 mt of Argentine wheat this week. According to Bloomberg, this marks the first significant bulk commercial shipment between Argentina and China since the 1990s, effectively launching a new corridor for trade between the two countries. Although some concerns regarding crop quality persist, the market appears to be absorbing the large supply well, with buyers attracted to the competitive prices.