Agriculture in Argentina: Crops, Productive areas

The agriculture in Argentina is one of the main economic activities that not only caters to the country, but that the surplus is exported. Argentina has a continental area of about 2.8 million square kilometers and has around 37,5 million hectares of agricultural crops.The main crops that occupy this area are: soybeans, wheat, corn, sunflower, sorghum and barley.

Importance of Agriculture in Argentina

Agriculture in Argentina important facts

Main crops, production areas distributed in Argentine territory by climate, and agricultural producing provinces are important facts in Argentina agriculture.

Main crops in Argentina Farming 2021/2022

Fuente: Mercado de Granos 2022 BCR

Fuente: Bolsa de Comercio de Rosario

Full report of Argentina Agriculture in Spanish >>

Argentina Agricultural crop by climate areas

According to the prevailing climate, the country is divided into mild, sub-tropical and arid regions. The different soils and climates in the country, offer a variety of agricultural products, adapted to the possibilities of each region.

Read more about Argentina Climate Types >>

Argentina Agriculture in Mild Climate Area:

The mild climate zone is formed by the southern part of the Platense plain or Pampean plain. Its plain relief, the fertility of its soil, its surface area and of course its mild climate make this region one of the best in the world for agricultural activity.

It basically comprises the Pampa plain, where the following commodities are grown.

Cereals growing

Argentina is one the first 10 wheat producers in the world. Wheat is one of the main crops in Argentina agriculture. It is grown in the province of Buenos Aires and the croplands alternate with sunflower, potatoes and pasturing. In Córdoba, Santa Fe and Entre Ríos, wheat alternates with corn, soy and pasturing. Furthermore, you can find rice and pasturing crops such as alfalfa, oats, barley and rye.

Oil-seeds growing

The so-called “oilseed complex” is today the main export bloc in Agriculture in Argentina. It’s also one of the pillars of the national economy. The stars that make Argentine oilseed production shine, in the world context, are the sunflower and soybeans, which continually improve their genetics and lead to increases in production.

The main oilseed crop is soybeans, followed in importance by sunflower. They are also produced, although in very small proportion, safflower, canola and flax.

The main producing provinces are Córdoba, Santa Fe and Buenos Aires, which together represent 84% of the national total.

Argentina is the world’s largest supplier of oil and soybean meal and the third largest supplier of corn.

Horticulture growing

In Argentina agriculture, 65% of the total production is represented by the following vegetables: potato, tomato, onion, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot, lettuce and garlic. Another 6 species participate with 20%: chard, cassava, zucchini, corn, eggplant and pepper. In the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, there is the biggest potato output.

Fruit growing

Fruits such as citrus, peaches and plums are the favorites in the Rosario and San Pedro areas. While in Entre Ríos, mandarins, oranges and lemons stand out.

Floriculture

In Argentina agriculture, the 90 % of the floricultural surface is in the Pampa plain. Due to the high capital investment, the quantity of labor involved and the demand of production factors, the rate of this activity is intensive. It is also characterized by the small surface of the output units and by its high profitability.

According to a report prepared by the Secretaría de Desarrollo Rural y Agricultura Familiar de la Nación, 50% of the total Argentine flower production is concentrated in the Province of Buenos Aires, particularly in the municipalities of La Plata, José C. Paz, Moreno, Escobar, Pilar, Exaltación de la Cruz, Florencio Varela and Berazategui.

Argentina Agriculture in Sub-tropical climate area:

In the Misiones plateau and in Corrientes are crops of yerba mate, tung-oil-tree, and tea. Tung-oil-tree comes from Asia and adapted very well to this region, being used for wood polishing. Over 80 per cent of the domestic cotton produce can be found in the Chaco plain. Fruits and vegetables are grown in Santiago del Estero.

The subtropical zone is divided into eastern, central and western.

Crops in the eastern subtropical zone

Located in the northeast of Argentina, is the missionary plateau and the province of Corrientes where yerba mate, tung and tea are harvested. Tung is an oilseed originating from Asia that adapted very well to this region and is used for polishing wood.

Crops in the central subtropical zone

It is located in the center and north of Argentina, it is integrated by the Chaco plain. There, more than 80% of the national cotton production is harvested; as well as in Santiago del Estero, where fruit and vegetables are also grown.

Crops in the western subtropical zone

Located northwest of the Argentine territory. In this region, in the Lerma Valley area, cereals, tobacco, sugar cane, soybeans and cotton are harvested. On the other hand, in the Calchaquíes valleys, they stand out for their vineyards that provide exquisite wines, as well as citrus and tropical fruits. Finally, we have the production of lemons in Tucumán, which is considered one of the most important in the country.

Argentina Agriculture in Arid Climate Area:

The arid zone occupies 75% of the territory of Argentina. Argentina Agriculture activity in this area, given the lack of rainfall, takes place where it is possible to use the water of the rivers for irrigation.

Desaguadero Basin in Cuyo

This is the case of the Desaguadero Basin in Cuyo, where the the vineyards account for most of the crop Argentina agriculture area of Mendoza, San Juan and La Rioja. This region in the Andean Patagonia, uses the irrigation of the meltwater from the rivers of the Cordillera de los Andes.

This region presents climatic difficulties to cultivate the soil. Nevertheless, grapevines turn La Rioja into the third domestic producer. In Cuyo, the vineyards account for most of the crop area.

Alto Valle del Río Negro

In extra-Andean Patagonia, the Alto Valle del Río Negro stands out, dedicated to agricultural activity with the cultivation of apples and pears and their agro-industrial application.

This region is located on the banks of the Negro River formed by the confluence of the Limay and Neuquén rivers. Located north of the extra-Andean Patagonia in Argentina, this area is characterized by its intensive Argentina agriculture and low irrigation of fruit trees.

This is an abridged version of the report on economic activities.
The full version is available only in Spanish: Agricultura Argentina

Bibliography:

• Asociación Argentina Pro Trigo: Cultivated area and production of wheat from 1995
  
• INTA: Maps with areas of crops of corn, wheat, sorghum, soybean, sunflower.
  
• SIIA: Sistema Integrado de Información Agropecuaria. Estadísticas de la Dirección de Información Agropecuaria y Forestal, Subsecretaría de Agricultura. Agricultural Statistics.
• Fernando Bertello (28/04/2014) Sharp drop in the countryside in 10 years. Diario La Nación.
  
• UCA: Análisis de la producción y comercialización del limón en Argentina
• INET: Instituto Nacional De Educación Tecnológica. Horticulture in Argentina Final Report.
  
• MINCYT: Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva. Sobre el perfil sectorial de la producción de Frutas Cítricas: Weaknesses and technological challenges of the Productive Sector Citrus Fruits in Corrientes, Entre Ríos and Tucumán. 
• EEAOC: Reporte Agroindustrial Relevamiento satelital de cultivos en la provincia de Tucumán. Harvested Area and Production of Sugarcane and Sugar for 2018 in Tucuman Zafra
• Argentina, the world’s leading exporter of pears. Suplemento Supercampo. Diario Perfil
  
• Víctor Rau. (2008) Yerba Mate in Misiones (Argentina). Structure and meaning of a production. IV Congreso Internacional de la Red SIAL. Mar del Plata. Argentina.
  
• SPE: Subsecretaria de Programación Microeconómica: Cadena de valor del tabaco. Mayo 2019
• MINAGRI:  Characterization of the Tobacco Producer Sector in Argentina. UCA: Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias Centro de Altos Estudios Jorge Gándara.