Paraguay’s agricultural sector has recorded a significant boost in performance during the first half of 2026, with key exports of soy and wheat showing substantial increases compared to the same period in the previous year. A recent Foreign Trade Report from the Paraguayan Chamber of Exporters and Marketers of Grains and Oilseeds (Capeco) revealed major growth in both the volume and value of soy and wheat shipments, signalling a positive development for the national economy.
The data shows that soybean grain exports closed the first semester with an increase of almost two million tonnes. Similarly, wheat shipments from the 2025 harvest have registered a notable 30% rise. These figures highlight a period of robust activity and strong international demand for Paraguayan agricultural products, which translates directly into increased foreign currency earnings for the country.
Substantial growth in soy complex shipments
According to the Capeco report, Paraguay exported a total of 5,894,301 tonnes of soybean grain by the end of June 2026. This figure represents a considerable increase when compared to the 4,106,112 tonnes shipped during the same period in 2025. Consequently, the country exported an additional 1,788,188 tonnes of soybeans, underscoring a highly productive and successful first half of the year for producers and exporters.
This surge in export volume has naturally led to a significant rise in foreign currency income. The soybean trade generated US$2.27 billion in the first six months of 2026. This is a substantial increase of US$766.8 million from the US$1.51 billion earned up to June 2025. This enhanced revenue provides a vital injection of capital into the national economy, supporting various sectors beyond agriculture.
Derivatives also show a positive trend
The positive performance was not limited to soybean grain alone. The entire soy complex, which includes processed goods, also demonstrated healthy growth. Shipments of soybean oil increased to 319,020 tonnes from 305,556 tonnes in the previous year. Furthermore, exports of soybean pellets saw a notable rise, reaching 1,150,237 tonnes compared to 1,003,494 tonnes in the first half of 2025.
Sonia Tomassone, Foreign Trade Advisor for Capeco, highlighted the overall economic benefit of this trend. She noted that the soy complex as a whole generated foreign currency income of US$2.98 billion by June 2026. This is a significant improvement over the US$2.09 billion recorded by the same point in 2025. Tomassone emphasised that this growth has had a positive ripple effect throughout the entire national economy.
Wheat shipments register an impressive increase
Meanwhile, the country’s wheat sector has also experienced a period of remarkable growth. Exports from the 2025 harvest, for which the shipping period is calculated from October 2025, showed a 30% increase by June 2026. This percentage equates to an additional 137,670 tonnes of wheat being shipped compared to the same period of the 2024 harvest cycle.
In total, wheat exports for the 2025 campaign reached 602,728 tonnes between October 2025 and June 2026. This figure stands in sharp contrast to the 465,058 tonnes that were shipped during the corresponding period of the 2024 harvest. This demonstrates a strong recovery and expansion in the cereal’s export market, further diversifying the country’s agricultural revenue streams.
Calendar year data confirms the positive trend
The report also analyses export data based on the standard calendar year, from January to June 2026. This metric also shows clear improvements over the first half of 2025. During these first six months, a total of 425,178 tonnes of wheat were dispatched. This is a significant leap from the 248,810 tonnes shipped by June of the previous year.
Financially, this improvement in wheat exports translated into higher foreign currency earnings. The income generated from wheat sales from January to June 2026 amounted to US$92.4 million. This represents a substantial increase compared to the US$60.7 million registered in the same six-month period of the previous year. The consistent growth across different measurement periods underscores the strength and reliability of the sector’s performance.
Also read: Paraguayan Maquila Exports Up 25%, Surge To US$717 Million In First Half Of 2026.
