A Milestone Investment in Argentine Agribusiness
The agro-industrial giant Molinos Agro, controlled by the prominent Argentine Pérez Companc family, has taken a bold step to revitalize the country's main export complex. Together with the Asociación de Cooperativas Argentinas (ACA) (Association of Argentine Cooperatives), the company agreed to a $500 million investment to build a new soybean crushing plant in Timbúes, Santa Fe. Timbúes is a key port city located in the heart of Argentina's agricultural export hub, near Rosario.
The future plant will have an initial capacity of 15,000 tons per day, equivalent to an annual consumption of around 5 million tons of soybeans. It will be built on land currently owned by ACA, with access to existing reception, storage, and port facilities. Molinos Agro will hold the majority control of the project with a 65% stake.
Key Data on the New Plant
- Investment: $500 million
- Location: Timbúes, Santa Fe (Argentina's core port hub)
- Capacity: 15,000 tons/day
- Estimated Annual Consumption: 5 million tons of soybeans
- Molinos Agro Stake: 65%
- Strategic Partner: Asociación de Cooperativas Argentinas (ACA)
Record Financials Backing the Bet
This investment is no coincidence. On August 13, 2026, alongside the announcement, Molinos Agro released its financial results for the first fiscal quarter (April-June 2026), showing solid financial health. According to statements presented to the National Securities Commission (CNV, the Argentine equivalent of the SEC), the company recorded a net profit of $45.961 billion Argentine pesos, a 20% increase compared to the $38.306 billion obtained in the same period of 2025.
Sales revenues reached $1.078 trillion Argentine pesos, while the operating result was $65.838 billion pesos, representing a 25% year-on-year improvement. Gross profit also grew, jumping from $74.683 billion to $86.381 billion pesos.
This performance was driven by soybean and sunflower crushing margins above the historical average, record production at the start of the harvest, and full utilization of its industrial capacity. Exports were the main engine: out of total revenues, $952.801 billion pesos came from abroad, while the domestic market generated $125.549 billion.
Ending a 12-Year Investment Drought
For Javier Preciado Patiño, a renowned grain market consultant, this investment has enormous symbolic and strategic value: “This breaks a 12-year streak without new investments in the soybean complex,” he highlighted in an interview with La Nación newspaper.
The expert explained that the decline in planted area and soybean production in the last decade was the result of an export tax policy (known locally as 'retenciones') that punished soybeans compared to its main competitor: corn. The Export Tax Differential (DEX) between soy and corn reached 30 percentage points, completely altering economic margins and pushing producers to choose corn.
The numbers are telling: the area planted with soy fell from 20.5 million to 16 million hectares, while corn advanced from 6.9 million to 10.6 million hectares. National production, which reached a historic record of 61.4 million tons in the 2014/15 season, currently hovers around 50 million tons.
Soybeans Regaining Ground
The horizon, however, is beginning to clear up. The prospect of reducing soybean export taxes starting in January 2027 is one of the factors encouraging greater planting of the oilseed. According to projections by the Rosario Board of Trade (Bolsa de Comercio de Rosario, a major agricultural exchange), soybeans could gain 600,000 hectares over corn in the next season, with a total area returning to around 17 million hectares.
The recurring problems of the 'chicharrita' (a leafhopper pest affecting corn) and freight costs also favor soybeans. Preciado Patiño highlighted that the export tax differential has already narrowed to 15.5 points, practically the same level as in December 2015, and estimated it could drop to 13.5 points in 2027 and 9.5 points by late 2028.
The Farm Sector as a Foreign Currency Generator
Meanwhile, the sector's numbers confirm its central role in the Argentine economy. According to economist David Miazzo, “during the January-June period, agricultural and agro-industrial chains contributed 72% of net foreign currency, equivalent to US$ 19.246 billion.” The remaining 28% was explained by Mining (15%), IT (3%), and Energy (10%).
Revenue from export taxes also shows a positive trend: in July it reached $1.2 trillion pesos, growing 35% compared to June and 110% compared to May. Exports for the month totaled 14.6 million tons, well above the 9.4 million tons in June.
A Call Not to Fall Behind
However, the oil industry warns that Argentina could be missing a historic opportunity in biofuels. Gustavo Idígoras, president of CIARA-CEC (the Argentine Oil Industry Chamber and Center of Cereal Exporters), was blunt: “While Brazil builds the future, we live in the past, with a Soviet-style law in force and a bill in the Senate that has no legislative interest in being passed.”
The executive noted that Brazil recently regulated its National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Program (ProBioQAV), while Argentina continues to debate its biofuels law. “Argentina's future lies in generating bioenergy based on high-quality, sustainable agricultural raw materials, and promoting free competition. Now is the time to pass a law that builds the future,” he concluded.
With the mega investment in Timbúes and a more balanced export tax scenario, Argentine soybeans seem ready to write a new chapter in their history, although the challenge of adding value through biofuels remains a pending task.