The wheat harvest is underway in Firmat, Santa Fe, Argentina, on November 26, 2025. Photo: VCG

A cargo ship loaded with 65,000 tons of Argentine wheat departed on Saturday from the Port of Timbues in Santa Fe Province, Argentina en route to China, marking the first commercial wheat export from Argentina to China since Argentina obtained Chinese authorization for wheat shipments in January 2024, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

A Chinese analyst said that the shipment was emblematic of a broader expansion in agricultural cooperation between China and Latin America. Zhou Zhiwei, an expert on Latin American studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday that agricultural collaboration is one of the main pillars of China-South America engagement and is largely market-driven by the factors of supply and demand. He noted that wheat is one of Argentina's major crops, with high production capacity, and access to the Chinese market can promote local economic development.

The shipment is being operated by Chinese state-owned agribusiness COFCO International. The cargo will be used by the milling industry, the company said.

Minister of Productive Development of Santa Fe Province Gustavo Puccini said that the voyage is a "key milestone" in bilateral economic relations. This is not just a vessel sailing to China. It reflects efficient coordination between our teams and will further bring the two countries closer, he said. 

Governor of Santa Fe Province Maximiliano Pullaro emphasized the strong economic complementarity between Argentina and China, saying that deeper trade ties can drive economic growth and create jobs, Xinhua reported.

Photo: Courtesy of COFCO International

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 include frozen beef, soybeans, barley and sorghum, according to the Chinese Commerce Ministry. 

In the field of agricultural trade, China-Latin America cooperation is showing a positive trend of product diversification. Both countries have room to expand trade in farm products, Zhou said, adding that this is likely to be followed by further shipments if commercial arrangements and logistics continue to perform smoothly, potentially widening the scope of bilateral agricultural exchanges and reinforcing economic links between China and Argentina, Zhou added.

Zhou highlighted the social benefits of such cooperation, saying that agricultural trade is closely connected to people's livelihoods and can enhance the sense of tangible benefits from China-Latin America ties. He also pointed to a trend toward product diversification in agricultural trade and identified further potential for Argentina's exports to China, such as seafood, wine and corn.