Ship Queue Grows as Truck Strike Slows Argentina Grain Exports

Ships used to carry grains for export are seen next to a dredging boat (L) on the Parana river near Rosario, Argentina, January 31, 2017. File photo. Picture taken January 31, 2017. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 9 (Reuters) – Some 93 cargo ships were waiting to load soy and corn from Argentina’s main exporting hub of Rosario on Friday, more than a week into a truck owners strike, the spokesman for an industry group said.

That was up from just over 60 on Thursday, said Andres Alcarez, spokesman for export company chamber CIARA-CEC.

Truck owners went on strike last week in a bid to force the adoption of mandatory minimum grains hauling rates. The work stoppage also slowed the unloading of beans at soyoil and meal manufacturing sites.

Argentina is the world’s top exporter of soybeans and soymeal and the No. 3 exporter of both corn and soymeal. Some 80 percent of Argentina’s agricultural exports depart from Rosario. (Reporting by Maximilian Heath, writing by Caroline Stauffer Editing by Marguerita Choy)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018.

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