Bolivia Reopens Soybean Exports Amid Production Rebound

On May 7, Bolivia’s Ministry of Productive Development announced that private exporters may ship up to 250,000 tonnes of soybeans.

Minister Zenón Mamani said the decision follows a harvest estimate above three million tonnes, covering internal needs and boosting export revenues. By early May, producers had harvested eighty percent of soybean fields, with an average yield of 2.3 tonnes per hectare.

Officials estimate domestic consumption at eight hundred thousand tonnes, leaving ample surplus for export under the new quota. Producers expanded plantings to 1.4 million hectares in 2021/22, hitting a record area.

USDA projects 2024/25 plantings at 1.875 million hectares and output at 3.7 million tonnes. The administration had barred exports in January to secure local supply and protect the refining industry.

Local companies rely on stable oilseed feedstocks for crushing plants, and they pressed for flexible trade rules. Refiners depend on soy oil and meal for animal feed and edible oil sectors.

The January ban disrupted refinery operations, prompting industry calls for flexible export rules. In 2020, Bolivia operated ten processing plants with 4.2 million tonne annual crushing capacity.

Traders foresee capacity utilization rising above sixty percent this season. Bolivia ranks among the world’s top ten soybean producers, though bean exports remain modest.

It secures seventh place in soybean oil exports and fifth in meal shipments. Key buyers include Brazil, China, Japan, Peru and South Korea.

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