First wheat ship from Argentina arrives in Shenzhen

A cargo ship carrying about 65,000 metric tons of Argentine wheat arrived in Shekou Port in Shenzhen on Saturday, marking the opening of a new chapter in agricultural trade cooperation between China and Argentina.

The Argentine wheat shipment arrives at Shekou Port. Yang Haohan

The cargo, loaded at the Port of Timbues, Santa Fe Province, was the first commercial shipment of Argentine wheat to China since Argentina obtained Chinese authorization for wheat shipments in January 2024.

The shipment is being operated by Chinese state-owned agribusiness COFCO International.

“This milestone is just the beginning,” said Alfonso Romero, CEO of COFCO Argentina, at a send-off ceremony in December.

Looking forward, this first shipment could serve as a launchpad for expanded volumes. “If producers continue receiving incentives to increase output, this will be the first of many vessels,” Romero concluded.

Argentina gained access to the Chinese market in January 2024 after being included in China’s Online Quarantine Registration System, allowing exports of vegetable and animal products. This regulatory inclusion opened the door for wheat exports to one of the world’s largest wheat consumers - despite also being the largest producer.

This milestone aligns with Argentina’s record-breaking wheat harvest, which, according to the Rosario Board of Trade, is expected to reach 27.7 million tons in the 2025 campaign — a 37.8% increase over last season’s 20.1 million tons.

China is a major global food market, and Argentina is a significant food exporter, according to Xinhua.

Argentina is China’s sixth-largest trading partner in Latin America, and China is Argentina’s second-largest global trading partner, according to official website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

In 2024, China’s main agricultural imports from Argentina included frozen beef, soybeans, barley, and sorghum, according to the Chinese Commerce Ministry.